These days, everything seems more complicated.

The job of a real estate agent requires supreme organization, superb computer skills, superior prospecting methods and scads of money to keep the engine going. You are bombarded with more information and input than we could possibly act on. Making the decisions about what to do and what NOT to do can make you feel overwhelmed, yet these choices are exactly what can give you the best positioning for 2003. Not making choices is a decision with repercussions that often leave an agent with a mishmash of marketing and prospecting that isn’t effective or focused.

I’ve been working with lots of agents on their business plans for 2003, and I see a tendency to make it way more complicated than necessary. While delving into the numerical data from 2002 and envisioning your business numbers for 2003 yields valuable information, if it is your only measure of success, it can focus you on the wrong things. I see agents who know exactly what they “should” do each hour of their day to hit their numbers. The trouble is most agents don’t do what those numbers tell them they “should” do and then they don’t get the result they want. Then they beat themselves up about not having enough self-discipline. They complain about being procrastinators and bad time managers. They complain about the unexpected time vampires that won’t allow them to get their prospecting done. They complain about not having any focus or feeling burned out. And then they listen to that internal critic beat themselves up some more……

On the other hand, I know agents who have a clear picture of the production they want to produce in 2003 and have simplified it, rather than complicated it. Remember the 21st century is about relationships, not numbers. Focusing on some simple actions to build in that area, your business will succeed more easily.

The Three BEST Ways To Create Success in 2003:

• Choose Only Three Priorities: At any given time, you can only focus on so many things. By choosing just three things to focus on today, this week, this month or this year, you’ll bring the power of intensity to what you do, instead of dissipating energy in 10 or 15 different directions. Ask yourself: “What three things, done today, will bring me closer to my goals for the year?” This keeps your actions aligned with the big picture, rather than the minutiae.
• Know Your Weekly Measure of Success: If you intend to close 50 transactions in 2003, that’s one a week. Each week, strategize who are your strongest prospects and focus just on the top 3. Whether the goal is getting the listing you really want or leaving no stone unturned for the picky (but ready, willing and able with cash!) buyer, visualize the success. When you can imagine it in your mind as a done deal, the actions needed to produce the result will flow naturally and you’ll discover ideas you might have overlooked had you been working on 10 things at once. As you visualize the benefit of the end result for the client and yourself, you also tap into the power of the emotional triggers that will motivate you. You’ll find by giving fewer clients very intense attention, moving them into action is easier.

  The other benefit of knowing your weekly measure of success is that you can immediately get yourself back on track if you have a week when you don’t hit your measure. Too many agents are oblivious at any given time as to where they stand against their yearly goal. If you monitor this weekly and take immediate action to get back on course each time you start to veer off, you’ll find you will be able to reach your targets.

• Determine SDA (Single Daily Action): What one thing, if you did it every working day this year, would bring you the biggest payoff? If you set aside all the complicated business planning (after you had determined the end result you want to create), and just acted on the one powerful question each day that would represent you BEING the best that you could BE, rather than doing a quadrillion different things, you would discover miracles happening with much less effort.

Some Powerful Questions To Ask:

• What one thing can I do today to give better service to a client?
• How can I educate myself to be a better businessperson today?
• What new skill can I learn today?
• What new person can I add to my team today?
• What new benefit can I offer my sphere of influence today?

Discover which powerful question sounds like fun to be your beacon for this year and do something every day towards that question. You’ll like the person that has grown by making 300+ efforts in 2003.

And, lastly, make this the year when you accept the way you are and give up the internal critic. Use your passion to have fun with everyone around you and look for the gifts in each transaction (for some, you may need to look very hard, but there is something of value in every experience)!

May you simply be yourself and be great!

Published: January 6, 2003

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Joeann Fossland GRI, LTG, MCC is a dynamic speaker and business coach. Creator of THE REAL ESTATE GAMETM, she provides coaching solutions enhance your effectiveness and life balance. You can subscribe to her free monthly newsletter, attend free monthly telephone seminars, and find out about classes delivered by email and personal coaching by visiting JoeAnn.com or e-mail her at .