Fail your way to success...

From the Jack’s Winning Words blog come this tidbit of wisdom - “I have failed many times, and that’s why I’m a success.” (Michael Jordan).



Michael would be right at home starting a career as a Realtor®, since learning by failures seems to be the methodology of choice for training of new agents. I suppose that there is really little choice about that, since it would be impossible to cover every variation that comes up in a real estate deal. The nature of the beast is that every deal is different, with unique challenges. How do you teach that? Most companies with good training programs cover all of the basics and focus some on problem solving and using available resources wisely to resolve issues. Some even have mentoring programs which pairs up experienced agents with rookies. I’ve done that with several newbies.


A key to succeeding in an environment like real estate sales is not of be afraid to make those mistakes, to fail, so that you learn. Most mistakes can be corrected. A common reason for failure among new agents is that the fear of failure prevents them from even trying. They get frozen in place by the fear that they’ll look stupid in front of a potential client. “What will I say if they ask me how long I’ve been an agent or how many homes that I’ve sold?”, is a common question for new agents. That’s where the mentoring programs can help a lot by providing that seasoned veteran to ride along and provide a crutch to lean on, if needed. Another fear is how to compete for listings against seasoned agents. Here again, having a strong company behind you, like Real Estate One in Michigan, is a great equalizer. You are a part of a bigger, stronger team than any of those competitors.


One key for Michael Jordan and for new real estate agents is to learn from those failures. What worked and what didn’t. What could you do differently next time – and remember that there will always be a next time. What tools or resources could you have used and how will you work them into your future business opportunities.


The other key to success is to keep trying. Don’t let failure get you down, it’s just part of the job. It means you’re doing something – maybe not right yet, but at least something. Hearing a NO from a potential client, is better than not hearing anything at all because you never tried. So, get out there and fail today. Today’s failure will help you succeed tomorrow.