When things are looking down, learn to look up!

This isn't your standard Real Estate content from me. Yes, I'll use Real Estate as the subject and method of delivery, however this is a mindset post...

In 2017, I left my job doing inside sales at a great company with a not so great manager. Over the years, I've come to appreciate what he did, because he was a great inspiration for me to go into business for myself full time. I harbor no ill will towards him, we all have our roles to play.

It wasn't an overnight decision. See, when I started with that company, the manager at the time was absolutely amazing. He focused on helping the team he managed, creating an amazing environment where the employees were able to grow fully into their roles. I knew that I had found a company that I could take into my retirement age.

Then... something changed. That manager took a promotion and brought in the new person. The funny thing is, I remember our other sales people being so hesitant and afraid of the change, and I sat back and said "We don't even know this guy yet, he could be the coolest thing since the other side of the pillow". And then I was reminded that the universe has a sense of humor. He was not the coolest thing since the other side of the pillow. His personality was something akin to the sand that gets in your bathing suit at the beach and just makes you feel gritty on the car ride home.

Back to the point, this guy may have been a great person, he sucked as a manager. That led to me deciding the company was not going to be where I stayed until retirement, and I had been investing in Real Estate for a couple years at this point. I decided that I was going to get my Realtor license and go to work for myself.

Months after getting licensed, I had built up enough clients where I felt comfortable stepping away from the security of a W-2 job, and that's what I did. I left and went to work, selling 23 properties from June of 2017 through the end of the year. The following year started out well also, then business slowed down... Then it slowed down some more... Next thing you know, I'm the Realtor going to the office, drinking coffee and talking because, what else is there to do? Nobody was buying houses with me. It got to the point where in the fall of 2018, my wife Catherine told me that if things didn't pick up and quick, I was going to have to get a J-O-B... Let me tell you one thing; the taste of freedom that I had over the past year ruined my ambitions for being an employee with no autonomy.

Things were looking down... Yet, there was a fire that got ignited in that conversation. I decided that I'd rather work 60, or even 80 hours a week for myself over 40 hours a week for someone else, and needing to get permission to take time for appointments etc, or squeezing errands into a lunch break. So, I renewed that drive and started pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I started focusing on my lead generation again because one of my dear friends Matt said to me "You'll never have a financial problem that lead generation can't fix".

Spoiler alert... He was correct! I went on to still close over 40 deals that year, and every year after averaged over 60 sales. For reference, most Realtors sell between 4 to 6 homes a year.

While your battles may not be related to sales in Real Estate, I want you to understand a defeated mindset will never give you a winning life. You must find a way to look up when things look down. When things are extremely difficult for you, look around and take stock of where you are.

• Do you have a group of people around you that truly want you to do well and excel? If not, then change the group of people around you.
• Find things every day to be grateful for as you start your day, and keep them in mind as you go through your day. This will help to keep you in a positive space.
• Hydrate (with water).
• Move around - it helps you to get the energy out rather than building up pent up anxiety.
• Check in with yourself regularly to maintain a good headspace.
• Reach out for help from others you trust.
• Lastly, just keep swimming. (Ok, thanks to Finding Nemo on that one)

Ya'll take care!

- Lee