One of the big problems for Realtors at one time or another is having the motivation to do what you know you should do…when you should do it. Staying motivated is the mark of a true professional - doing what needs to be done no matter what the circumstances are at the time.

Motivation increases with clarity. If you have clearly defined goals and objectives, it’s easier to maintain motivation. It’s very easy to slip out of focus and out of motivation without clarity of objectives. The question is do you have clearly defined and written objectives? Are you reviewing them daily or at least weekly? Have you created the target for your life in the form of a Life Plan?

Denis Whately said, “We spend more time planning our vacations than we do our lives”. Have you invested the time and intensity to create the outcome in your marriage, children, health, and business as you have on that trip to Hawaii? You ultimately have to plan for the success you desire. By simply having a plan, the motivation will increase.

The second key is to establish a habit. Developing a routine will enable you to mentally prepare and gain motivation. Motivation is linked with discipline. These two are connected. People that are highly disciplined are highly motivated. The key is getting them in the right order. Most people desire motivation so then they can become disciplined. If you see yourself in that statement, you will be waiting a long time to get disciplined.

Part of success is knowing what to do. The other part is knowing the right order in which to do it. Discipline comes before motivation. Too many of us have it backwards. Earl Nightingale used to tell a story of a man who would try to convince the wood stove to give him some heat before he put the wood in. No, No, No! That’s not the way it works. You must be disciplined enough to start. You must be disciplined enough to keep going. Motivation comes after you start the process. If you force ourselves to begin, the motivation will follow to help you finish.

Let me give you an example in real estate where this is true:

When you have prospected, was it the first call or the last call that was the toughest? Of course it’s the first one; by the last one, it’s easy. The first call is all discipline. It’s the decision that you are going to do it or else. Motivation has little to do with regular prospecting. Regular prospecting has to do with discipline. By the fourth call, motivation has kicked in because discipline took the first step. You must take the first step of discipline to gain the long-term benefits of motivation.

Your motivation is rooted in the clarity of the target, and the water to make the motivation grow is discipline. If we don’t water motivation with discipline, there is no growth. It has to be discipline first, motivation second. Make sure the order is right. As my friend Zig Ziglar says, “Life is like a cafeteria line. First you pay, then you get to eat.”

Motivation is the same. It starts with the action and discipline of doing something, and then the motivation kicks in.

Published: July 23, 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.