That 40 days came and went quickly, didn't it?

Thanks to all of you who committed to 20 minutes of movement daily, and 80 ounces of water daily. Journaling daily was the biggest challenge for me.

What I consistently hear when people take on three steps toward a goal is that it's easy to verbally commit and hard to take on as a new habit.

I am no different - committing to a healthy lifestyle is an ongoing challenge with frequent recommits to a positive outcome. Rather than beat yourself up for what you didn't do, celebrate what you did get accomplished and recommit.

I love to watch The Biggest Loser - these folks have nurtured every excuse in the book prior to coming to the show. They occasionally fall off the wagon during the show. And, they recommit, and over time they establish phenomenal new habits.

What are you willing to commit to now? How can I best support you?

Someone recently emailed me a fun little mathematical formula that might shed some light:

If,
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as,
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then,
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

And,
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

But,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

 

Once again proving that Attitude is Everything. Beyond how much you know, beyond how hard you work, if you don’t adjust your attitude, you won’t reach your 100%.

Don't just take this formula, or my word, for it. Seems others share the Attitude belief. Check out Seth Godin's blog on The Heirarchy of Success. He references six levels of heirarchy on the success platform, and notes that we spend the bulk of our time in the least important one - execution.

Much as I hate to admit it, I am guilty as charged. Time to re-evaluate my mode of operation!

Recently an old college buddy of mine emailed me through Facebook and asked this question. It got me to thinking. Here is part of my response:

A lot depends on how you personally define success, doesn't it? Do you measure by revenue generated, by people helped? Here are some initial thoughts: 1. Servant's heart. This is a relationship business. One must have a commitment to doing what's best for the client, without attachment to their choices or outcome. Advise and empower - give people the information to make an informed decision, and then get out of their way.
2. Drive. This business is not for the faint of heart. One must be committed for the long haul, not looking for a short-term cash generator. It will take investments of time and resources to be successful.
3. Business acumen. Run this as a business. Have an annual plan. Set goals. Put together a budget. Do quarterly check-ins and adjustments. Resist impulse expenditures.
4. Market knowledge. Know the market inside and out. Understand absorption rates, valuation trends, IRV's, patterns over years and decades.
5. Great caretaker. Successful real estate businesses are a balance of repeat/referral business and new customers. The former necessitates a strong, consistent lifelong follow-up campaign that gives value to the recipient and reminds them who their trusted advisor in real estate is.
6. Prospecting mindset. The latter in #5 requires creativity and determination. Whether it's calling For Sale By Owners and Expireds, expanding Web presence to generate Internet leads, or working the leads generated from an interactive voice response (IVR) system on listings, prompt and effective service to new business is important enough to be part of daily routine for a successful agent.
7. Strong alliances. Seek out the best in all ancillary businesses (mortgage, title, inspection, repairs, etc.) and make them easily accessible to your clients.

With several of you reporting in, it seems like a great time, headed into the Labor Day holiday weekend, to recap our progress and renew our commitment to keep moving forward!

Everyone seems to be getting to 80 ounces of water daily. Cardio is a bit of a stretch, and, many of you are making that happen as well. The biggest challenges being faced are time management and food choices.

Let's face it - exercise won't happen unless it goes on our calendars. For some (thanks JL), that means putting a recurring appointment in your Outlook calendar for these 40 days that simply says, "80 oz., 20 min." For others, that means actually blocking time in a specific hour to get to the gym to work out. If you had a client request time from you, you'd schedule it, right? You owe it to yourself to make that same level of commitment when it comes to your health and well-being.

With a holiday weekend upon us, many of us will be attending barbecues and be tempted to eat beyond fullness with less-than-ideal options to choose from. Some ideas for rescuing yourself:

1. Drink 20 ounces of water before you go, and carry water with you at the party.
2. Eat healthy food before you go. You'll be fuller and less likely to eat two or three hot dogs by the grill.
3. Take smaller portions. Get a taste of everything you live, not a full serving. It's important not to deprive yourself of things you enjoy!
4. Take hard candies or gum in your pocket, and when you get a craving, substitute.
5. Be active. If you have the extra beer or piece of pie, then go toss the frisbee around afterward. If you're being active, you're less likely to snack anyway!

Enjoy the long weekend, and stay committed to yourself.