There are two destructive forces in the lives of people that feed off each other and when both are present, they work as a chain reaction leading toward failure and disappointment. The great news is that if we can formulate a plan to eliminate one of these forces, the other will disappear in most cases and we get a two for one! Unfortunately, most people get these two reversed and attack the wrong one. As a result, they make very little progress toward their dreams and goals.
The first destructive force is self-pity. It comes in a variety of forms and is often even disguised. It can start with market conditions, personal problems, or even small mistakes we make at home or work. You will recognize it when you possess any of the following conditions:
1. You blame situations or other people for your current circumstances and state of mind. You might not have caused the situation, but you can take responsibility for what happens!2. You find yourself delaying tasks and situations for no apparent reason. It is almost a way to rebel against your current circumstances and create a self-fulfilling prophecy that you have no control.
3. You begin to resent others who are more successful or seem to be overcoming the same circumstances you face.
4. You begin to gravitate toward people who are in the same state of mind you currently possess. It helps you justify your own state of mind when others are willing to sympathize with you.
5. You find yourself in a mental state of disappointment in yourself and this leads to "beating up yourself."
6. You make weak attempts at taking action but always fall back into your state of self-pity.
The second destructive force is procrastination. Some of us are, by nature, procrastinators but we often slowly slide into a state of delayed action based on the negative thoughts and feelings we are experiencing. This state is easy to recognize: we put off the most important things we should be doing. Some people are very good at disguising procrastination by making extensive "to do" lists. The only problem is that they do the things that do not count and the most important things carry over day after day or are not even on our list! How do we break this destructive cycle before we have to leave our job or harm our personal relationships? The answer is not what you think!
Many self-help books would have you believe that by simply changing your thoughts you can change your actions. This is only partially true. There must be a "pilot light" to ignite the furnace of success. It all starts with simply taking one small action after another! It is always interesting to watch the construction of a large building. There are so many small steps that combine to create one giant skyscraper! Here is a plan of attack that will help you break the downward spiral:
1. Do an in depth review of your current situation and ask this question. What small actions will start leading me toward success? If your mortgage production has dropped off dramatically, the answer is "prospect." Start by calling past Realtor relationships.2. Resolve to take these actions with consistency and persistence! Consistency means you take action every day or every week. Persistence means once you have taken action on one thing or one target, you repeat the action until you get a result. A lot of people can take consistent action but few persistently attack a single target.
3. Start each day with the most difficult tasks first. Clean them off your plate. For sales people, I always advise making prospecting appointments on a Friday afternoon or a Monday morning but two weeks out. Why? Most of your prospects do not plan that far ahead! You get more appointments.
4. After you take action, examine your mental state. The not-so-surprising thing is that you will feel better! You see, doing positive things creates a more positive state, not just thinking about them.
5. Think positive thoughts and even write affirmations. Put your goals in writing and review them at the same time you make your "A" list. An "A" list is a "to do" list that puts high priority things first.
6. Surround yourself with positive, productive people! There is nothing so powerful as a positive support group!
7. Finally, reward yourself for your actions!
Do not wait for the market or circumstances to change. Do not even wait for your state of mind to change. Charge forward every day with focused, prioritized, passionate action. The world will reward you swiftly!
