Having worked in this business for so long, I can see success a mile away now. Success leaves clues. Real estate agents. Builders. Developers. Brokers. The successful ones all do the same things and have the same habits.

Is it that simple? Am I telling you that all you need to do is adopt what they do? Yes and no. Yes, there is a set of actions and habits that you can adopt. No, it's not easy for everybody. Bad habits can be hard to break.

But we all have them. Good habits and bad habits. What we often don't realize is how important habits are to our success. Good ones will raise us to heights we have never known. Bad ones will sink us faster than a leaky rowboat.

Success is not something you find by hoping, dreaming, or wishing. This is the problem with so many business people nowadays. They set up shop, hoping the world will flock to their door just because they hung up a fancy sign or designed a colorful website. But it takes so much more than that.

When I analyze an agent's business, I usually find that it is no accident or mystery why they are successful or not. I interview them to discover what they do in their business on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

I'm like a detective searching for clues. The clues are their habits. When I uncover their habits, I can pinpoint exactly what they're doing right for their business. And what they're doing wrong.

When bad habits are replaced by good habits consistently, your business cannot help but grow.

When I help people instill good habits in their business and they truly DO them consistently, I'm always amazed at how quickly the tiniest things can turn around a business.

For example, the habits of:

1. Follow-up.

Consistently staying in touch with your database is an essential habit that should be on your mind daily. What have you done today to follow-up with your clients?

2. Taking time off.

Without time to recharge and enjoy your life, what's the point of it all? One of your primary habits should be pressing the "OFF" button on your cellphone and doing the things in life that you love to do.

3. Creating a sales environment that makes the client come back for more.

Are you the stereotypical image of the pushy real estate agent? End that bad habit right now. Instead, get into the habit of cementing the image of yourself as a "neighborhood expert" in the minds of your clients.

4. Consistent and dynamic meetings.

If you're a broker, it's time to end the bad habit of boring Powerpoint presentations or empty "Rah! Rah!" motivational sessions. Instead, why not create new results-based methods to boost productivity in your office?

5. Tracking your results.

This is a fantastic habit. If you can tell me precisely the return on investment for each task you performed one month ago today, then your success goals are only a short distance away. Tracking results is key to every action you take as a real estate agent. How else can you ever know if what you're doing is effective or not?

6. Enlist the right help.

Delegation is so important that I can't help but mention it constantly. It's the engine underneath the hood of your business. You drive down the road of success, but it's the people with whom you surround yourself that get you there.

What are your good and bad habits?

Sit down today and make a list of the three habits you do in your business that you want to get rid of. Then, make a list of the three habits that you don't do that you KNOW you need to implement.

If you're not sure what your bad habits are, then call me for a Business Analysis. By asking you a few simple questions, I can tell you what you need to eliminate and what you need to adopt. We can even take it a step further. By asking your clients a few questions, I'll get a clearer picture of you than you can ever imagine.

But then you'll be armed with the information that most agents are afraid to face. By doing so, you'll know exactly what works best for you and what doesn't. You'll be miles ahead of your competition.

Facing ourselves and our bad habits can be tough. But once we do it, we can get on with the success that comes from replacing them with good habits.

Success is not an accident. It's a habit.

Published: September 2, 2008

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The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones, brings over two decades of experience in the real estate industry. With expertise in strategic marketing, business analysis, branding, new home project planning, product development, and agent/broker training, Denise is nationally recognized as the go-to for all things "real estate.” Denise can be reached at 369.527.8904 or at www.thelonesgroup.com.