With the market being the way that it is, a lot of people are asking me, "What can I do to be more successful in 2009?"

And while I certainly don't have a one size fits all answer, I can say this: Successful Agents do things that make them successful. And the opposite is also true.

Which naturally begs the question, what are these "things" that successful agents do?

Well, I put together a quick list for your review. Enjoy.

• Successful Agents read books.

• Successful Agents are open to change.

• Successful Agents realize that in the world of business, you need to spend money to make money.

• Successful Agents have a gameplan.

• Successful Agents see the "big picture," but not to the extent that it clouds their ability to make a decision in the here and now.

• Successful Agents make adjustments to their business.

• Successful Agents are organized…although they're far from neat.

• Successful Agents aren't afraid … although they do get nervous from time to time.

• Successful Agents are proactive.

• Successful Agents are internally motivated.

• Successful Agents anticipate changes in their environment and respond accordingly – even in the absence of complete information.

• Successful Agents don't watch a lot of TV.

• Successful Agents realize that success (be it personal or business) isn't a straight-line endeavor.

• Successful Agents are open to new ideas.

• Successful Agents are "doers."

• Successful Agents take action.

So as we head into the New Year, ask yourself, how successful have you been with your business. Then more importantly, consider how successful you'd like to be going forward.

And yeah, I know the market isn't in great shape right now, and the economy isn't doing so well either, but here's one more thing: Successful people don't complain about things they can't control.

So if you'd like some more ideas on how you can be more successful in today's tough market, just email info@agitoconsulting.com (Subject: More Buyers in Today's Tough Market) and we'll shoot you a copy of our free report.

In the meantime, here's to making 2009 your best year ever!

Published: January 13, 2009

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As a popular speaker and author of the resource How to Get More Business in Today's Tough Market, Brian specializes in helping busy agents get more leads and close more deals - even in a market as "challenging" as this. For a free report on 2 Easy Ways to Get More Business in Today's Tough Market, just email my office and we'll send it right over.