Lao-Tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." John Maxwell said, "Success is a journey not a destination." You combine the two and create the success journey. It begins with a single step. That is what stops most people…that first step. That little step separates abundance from failure. If you don't make that first step, you are guaranteed to not accomplish your objective.

Without reaching out and picking up the phone and making the first lead follow-up call or prospecting call we are assured failure. It is that one motion of picking up and dialing that first number that separates the winner from the loser. In terms of time it is less than two seconds that will determine your outcome.

Now I realize that there is some pain involved with lead follow-up and prospecting. There is also pain involved if you don't do it. There are two kinds of pain, the pain of discipline (the making of the lead follow-up and prospecting calls) and the pain of regret. The truth is we are going to experience one or the other; it is unavoidable. You have to choose which you would rather live with.

When you take the step to make prospecting calls, you are experiencing the pain of discipline, the pain of potential rejection. You also may experience the pain of sacrifice and pain of hard work. To avoid the pain of regret you must pursue this course with single-minded purpose. You must decide and commit to the disciplined path. "All glory comes from daring to begin." Eugene Ware.

If we don't attack our dreams we will experience the greatest pain in life, the pain of regret. Sydney Harris wrote, "Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is the regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable."

The regret of doing what we know we should do, the regret of not achieving our goals and dreams. The regret of not crafting a grand lifestyle for our family and ourselves. The regret of not living up to our potential or by living off our potential. At what point does potential turn into regret? There is that moment in time. It's different for each and every one of us. Are you nearing that point? Bill Parcels said, "You lose with potential. You win with performance."

Performance is contained in the pain of discipline. Discipline involves work and commitment. Success is not purchased at one time, but it can be yours on the installment plan. We only achieve success through disciplined effort over time. When we make the calls daily to our leads, prospects, pas clients, sphere, expireds, FSBO's, we will achieve success guaranteed. We will also move far away form the pain of regret.

When we create a habit of daily discipline, an almost "magical" thing will happen. One day you will realize that your discipline has turned into desire. The desire to do the calls daily. The wanting to make the calls because of the habit and the results. The road will get easier to stay on.

The reason the first step is so hard is the pain position. The position of the pain is different for the discipline verses the regret. The pain of discipline we feel now...today. The pain of regret we may not feel for hours, days, weeks, months, and years. This will often cause us to make the wrong selection, because we would prefer to no have pain now or ever. The pain of discipline will pass and transform to desire. The pain of regret can linger forever. Start the process to discipline. Start today toward discipline and sway form regret. Begin your success journey to day with a single step.

Published: January 20, 2001

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Dirk Zeller is a sought out speaker, celebrated author and CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. The Real Estate community has embraced and praised his six best-selling books; Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, The Champion Real Estate Team, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, Successful Time Management for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. To learn more regarding this article, please visit www.realestatechampions.com.