Successful Habits: You Need Some

focus “It doesn't matter where you are today. What matters is where you are going.” ~ Brian Tracy

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Phew… What a relief, right?

You see, the reality of the matter is this: We all have bad habits we’d like to change, and “good” habits we’d like to adopt. But more often than not, these changes and adaptations are easier said than done.

Indeed, the process of ceasing old vices and developing new, better habits doesn’t happen overnight. It takes discipline, sacrifice, commitment, and hard work (daily) to build and keep those new habits in place.

So today’s lesson is all about looking in the mirror, acknowledging bad habits, forgiving yourself for procrastinating, and proactively taking steps to develop newer, better habits.

In the next few paragraphs, we’re going to identify the positive habits that all real estate investors should strive to develop (including some helpful Action Steps for bringing those positive habits to life).

Defining Habits & Characteristics of Successful Real Estate Investors

To identify the positive habits that all real estate investors should embrace, I’m going to draw heavily from a powerful book by Brian Tracy titled Maximum Achievement.

I recently revisited this book in my own personal life, for reasons entirely unrelated to my real estate investing pursuits… (Summary: After routinely neglecting my own self-imposed regimen for physical fitness, I was wondering “What the heck is going on inside my head?!”)

As Tracy’s book helped me change my health-related habits, with a renewed emphasis on sustainable results, I simultaneously found myself approaching other habits and routines with a renewed commitment to long-term success…

…including my business career.

It was really quite profound, if I do say so myself. But I don’t have time today to elaborate on all the far-reaching implications of my new personal rhythms and priorities. Instead, let me quit rambling and a cut right to the chase for Real Estate Mogul.

Here are the habits that successful real estate investors need to practice, perfect and maintain:

Managing time, projects, and tasks with proficiency
Setting and measuring goals
Generating deals regularly
Marketing with creativity and consistency
Making offers consistently
Focusing on urgent and important tasks

This sort of investor will not only be successful as an individual businessman, he (or she) will also breed success in at lease a few of his teammates and colleagues. It is simply the natural result of crafting these habits over time and weaving them into your everyday routines.

But this doesn’t happen without also setting goals, creating practical action steps to achieve those goals, and then working the system of your own mind to develop and maintain good habits.

What Steps Can You Take?

So, what practical “actionable” steps can you take to dig yourself out of the proverbial rut?

Well, rather than collaborating with Mogul’s (talented) editors to provide you with some traditional Action Steps at the bottom of this lesson, I’m going to personally hijack that part of today’s publication process by sharing my own practical Action Steps right here:

Draw the line in the sand and say to yourself “enough is enough”. Recognize the need for change, and be ready for it to begin quickly.
Take a “big and hairy” DRASTIC step to change your existing bad habit (eg. change gyms, hire a new team, etc…).
Set goals for action rather than results. Action goals are easily track-able and facilitate easier commitments (eg. make “x” amount of offers vs. “x” amount of dollars).
Set short-term goals as milestones for moving toward your long-term vision for success. (Ideal milestones should come in 3-4 week intervals.)
Talk about your short-term goals out loud – even if you must talk only to yourself. (Although telling someone else will make it exponentially more “real”, and the extra layer of accountability will help you feel more committed to your goals.)
Create documentation for these specific, measurable milestones.
Reset your short-term goals when you reach the end of each 3-4 week period.
Buy and read Maximum Achievement by Brian Tracy.