It's what you do when you get up...

“It’s not how you fall; it’s what you do after you get up.” (Scott Hamilton) – from the Jack’s Winning Words Blog. Scott was commenting on a fall by a figure skater. Everyone experiences a fall now and then. The recovery is the important thing. It’s not just in the sports world, but it’s in the world in general.

Last year was a fall down year for me in real estate. I actually sold more houses than ever, but made less money at it – barely above a subsistence level – and I was in the top quartile of my local agency. Imagine the plight of the people below me. So, this year what I do to get up and after I get up is important.

I just had my management one-on-one to go over my goals and potential activities for the year. Both my manager and I recognized an alarming similarity to last years meeting –same old goals, same old “this is what I plan to do” set of tried and true stuff – mailings, open houses, floor time, etc. And, as she pointed out, “we keep talking about this, but you never seem to do anything about it, but talk. I don’t want to listen to you just talk any more.” Ouch – but the honest truth.

Then we had a more frank conversation. If I do the same things again this year, why would I expect much different results? The obvious answer is that I shouldn’t. So, I asked her to help me by acting like a coach and maybe giving me the kick in the pants that I need every now and then to get off the dime. She agreed and we decided on weekly meeting for a while at the start of the year, until I develop some new habits.

Now I will admit that I don’t particularly like having to do this. I had become way too comfortable in the little rut that I got myself into, but that rut was not leading to success, it was headed straight down hill towards a dead-end in my career. So, I need someone to yell at me every now than then AND to say “good job” when I do the right things. We all need encouragement and many of us probably need more than that – a little of the stick every now and then, to go with the carrot.

OK, it’s a new year and I’m back up on my skates. With t a little help from my new coach, I know this will be a better year for me. Maybe, if you fell down last year, you can find a coach, too. It doesn’t have to be a fancy, paid professional life coach, just someone that you feel you can trust and who will push you to achieve your goals. It’s up to your what you do when you get up.