One of the key characteristics that successful people have is a winning mindset. They have learned over time to program their mind for success. That’s what gives them the edge in competitive situations. This mindset allows them to hit the winning shot at the buzzer or sink the crucial putt on the 18th hole to win the tournament or get the listing signed even when they are up against the best agents in town. The question is why do some people have it and others don’t? How can you ensure that you acquire the winning mindset? Let me take you through the development of a winning mindset.

1. Record and replay the tape: Now I don’t mean that you have to record yourself on a recorder. You do need to write down on paper and track your victories. We all have a lot of victories daily, weekly, and monthly. We just have a hard time remembering them. If we record them we can review them during the challenges we are facing. When we lose our self-confidence we can build it through reviewing our past victories. A lot of our victories we will find come out of a very challenging problem or struggle we are having. This review will also show us the direct correlation between the challenges we face and the victories we have. The key is to review them regularly. Review them so you can invest them to pay dividends today and tomorrow.

2. Understand the game you are playing. The highest peak performers understand the game they are playing and how to score and win. To master the game of real estate, you must understand that the primary rule in the game of real estate is there is no second place. When I was younger I played racquetball professionally. I always had a philosophy that if I finished second it was the same as losing. I did not win the tournament. I could have won all the other matches to the final, but losing the final was as bad as losing in the first round. For me there was no second place. Real Estate is the same way. Either you list the home or you don’t. Either you sell the buyer a home or you don’t. Have you ever gotten paid for coming in second? When the seller says to you “It was between you and another agent to list our home and we chose the other agent. You don’t get paid-- they do. Second place does not make the mortgage payment. Make sure you are playing to win. Understand the stark reality of the business that we are in. Develop the focus that you need to compete at the highest level.

3. The secret edge: Believe in yourself. The best of the best in life believe in themselves. Michael Jordan believed to his core that he was the best. His belief and his sheer will to win created the best basketball player ever. I read an article recently about a survey in which professional golfers were asked, “If you had one putt to win a major championship, who would you pick to putt it?” Almost all of them chose Jack Nicolas. Why, because he knew he was the best and had the ability to will the ball in the hole. When I sold real estate I truly believed I was the best agent for the job. That belief extended beyond just my market place. The question is what do you believe? When you confidence goes up, your competence goes up at the same time. Program your mind through affirmations that you are the best. Say aloud daily: “I am a great salesperson” “I am the best agent someone can hire to do the job” “I provide exceptional service to my clients” You must drive your belief deep. It truly is the secret weapon for all peak performers.

We must invest time daily to develop the winning mindset. Take the time to record your victories. Review them daily, weekly and monthly. Work to improve your belief in yourself. We all came from the same creator. He didn’t create any junk. You have it inside you to be exceptional. The secret edge is belief.

Norman Vincent Peale said, “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities. Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy…Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself succeeding. Hold the picture tenaciously, never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture.”

Published: March 12, 2001

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Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President & 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. He's the widely published author of Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. You can get more information by visiting RealEstateChampions.com.