Think back to the last time a buyer asked you to show a home on your day off. Did you agree to do it? If so, you may be operating in your Comfort Zone!

Have you made a commitment to yourself to start doing video, but have made excuses for yourself? Lack-of-time, need-a-haircut, bad-lighting type of excuses? If so, you may be operating in your Comfort Zone!

Do you have an overpriced listing on the market right now? If so, you may be operating in your Comfort Zone!

There is a meme that is popular right now. It looks something like this:

This is a very powerful image. It is so easy to live your life and conduct your business in your comfort zone. In fact, our brains trick us into maintaining the comfort zone at every turn. Excuses are the brain’s way of maintaining the status quo in the zone.

For example, imagine an athlete training for a big race. Training might consist of squats, push-ups, weight training, interval training, sprints, and other extensive workouts. These activities aren’t comfortable. In fact, there is usually an element of pain involved. But that pain is necessary to push the athlete to excel. The athlete’s coach is there to push for one more set, one more squat, one more push to the finish. If it was up to the brain’s natural tendencies, a quick and painless jog around the track would be more than enough. The brain’s job is to prevent pain.

However, until you become determined enough to overcome your natural tendencies, you will never move out of that comfort zone and you will certainly miss out on your full potential.

There are so many examples of how the comfort zone can hold agents back:

One might look at this list and think, “Yuck! I don’t want any of that!” But consider how these show up:

• Settling for what you have by not taking the time to connect with new people and generate leads.
• Letting past clients drift away by not consistently doing any sort of connecting by way of mail, reports, or events that keep them connected to you.
• Procrastination such as putting off getting your brand created.
• No schedule or structure such as letting the day define your time rather than empowering you to take control.
• Paper piles that you justify by saying you are too busy rather than taking control over your surroundings and creating rules for handling paper.
• Clients run the show and dictate terms that are not in their best interest such as restricting showings or not allowing a sign in their yard.
• Financial insecurity caused by not taking the time to truly understand your finances and make a budget.
• No rules for pricing property which causes you to spend money on marketing and photography while the home languishes on the market while others pend.
• No rules for working with buyers which causes you to be driving further than you should and write offers on houses that are not in your field of expertise.
• No rules for commission which can affect your bottom line by thousands of dollars every year.

Take a moment and think about your business. What are the things in your comfort zone that are holding you back?

Now let’s talk about the Growth Zone. Once you get out of your comfort zone and make positive changes, you will naturally grow. What are some of the things that agents need to take on to get to the next level in their business:

• Asking for help
• Rules and Boundaries with clients
• Building a brand
• Video
• Hiring an assistant
• Research and sending out data
• Committing to social media posting
• Getting real about finances
• Stepping up in volunteer groups
• Spending money on marketing
• Knowing your own stats and how they compare to others’
• Shutting off business while on vacation

I am sure there are some things on this list that you have thought of doing. But thinking of doing and taking action are two different things.

We have made a handy Comfort Zone – Growth Zone chart for you to use. Go ahead – download and print the file below, fill it out, and if you would like to set up a time to talk about what changes you would like to see, I would be happy to schedule some time with you.

Don’t let another day go by in your business in the Comfort Zone. Take charge and get uncomfortable!

^{Source: The Real Estate Zebra Blog}