Although we know we need to focus on our goals to achieve success, finding that focus can be tricky. Why? Because our focus is fleeting. At the beginning of the year, once we’ve set our goals, we convince ourselves that we will keep focus during the year. This may be true for the first few weeks. However, as the year wears on, it’s normal to lose focus. Think of the gym in January. In January, it’s full of people motivated to get fit. By April, only a few remain. The same is true in the real estate business. In January, many real estate professionals set goals to achieve in the year ahead. They are excited to connect with their databases. They’re keen to do their activities every day. However, as the year progresses, it becomes easier to lose focus. It’s impossible to achieve success if you lose focus on your goals. Here’s how to maintain your focus in the year ahead.

Find your focus

Find your Why

Your why is the reason that you do the things you do. It’s the reason that you set the goals that you set this year. Having a Why provides the motivation that you need to keep going and keep your focus when it gets hard.

To find your Why, close your eyes and think about what you want your life to look like. Choose a date in the future, say five years, and imagine your life. What do you see? How do you feel? Who’s around you? What is around you? These questions will help you envision what you want to achieve in the future. At the core of this is your Why. For example, if you envision a life where you don’t have to worry about money, your Why might center around security. When you feel your motivation beginning to wane, you can think about the security that you aspire to have and it will provide the motivation you need to keep going.

During the exercise to find your Why, be sure to write down the answers to the questions above. This will help you assess and analyze what you feel your Why is. Once you know, write it down so that you can refer to it often. It will help you regain focus when you need it the most.

Define success

Success is unique to everyone. How one person defines success will differ from everyone else’s, depending on their experiences, their background, their knowledge, etc. Don’t allow another person’s definition of success to define yours. 

Many people focus on success, but they don’t know how to define it. Instead, they use someone else’s definition of success and try to achieve it. However, they may find they come up short. When you define your success, then you’re much more likely to achieve it and it gives you something to focus on along the way.

What does success mean to you? Does it mean having a huge database and closing several million in sales? Or does it mean being able to achieve financial freedom while helping other people achieve their dream of homeownership? These definitions may be the same for some or they may be different. What matters is defining it for you. So, what is success to you? How will you know if you’ve achieved it? What milestones do you want to reach along the way to help you achieve your definition of success? How will achieving your definition of success make you feel? These are all deeply personal questions that only you can answer. However, once you know the answers, they will help you to create your goals this year and in years to come.

Adopt focus habits

Your habits will make or break you in this business. That’s why it’s so important to develop the habits of success. Good habits provide a solid foundation for success. Your habits are the things that you do every day, almost instinctively. Think about your regular habits. Maybe it’s walking the dog in the morning or brushing your teeth. These are things that you don’t even have to think about, you just do them. 

Your business habits should be just like this. They should be things that you do without having to think about them. They allow you to focus your attention on the things that drive your business.  These habits may include following up with current and potential clients within a certain amount of time. It could be doing a Power Hour to connect with people in your database and stay top of mind. 

Your business habits may not on the surface pertain to business. Getting in the right mindset to have a successful day is as important as diving in. Many of the most successful people have habits that include praying or meditating for a certain amount of time first thing in the morning. They may exercise or eat a specific healthy breakfast. This helps them set the stage for a successful day. 

Once they have the right mindset, they’re able to start their day. often. It begins by reaching out to people in their database. CircleCloser makes it easy to know who to reach out to each day. It takes the guesswork out of planning your lead generation. You’ll always know who you need to connect with. 

Success habits to adopt:

• Daily Power Hour
• Consistent follow-ups
• Regular check-in with your goals
• Personal development to improve skills 

Aim high and focus on your goals

Goals give you something to strive for. Create goals that you’re excited to achieve. A goal is something to focus on on your path to success. But don’t just create any goals.  They should be SMART goals, which we discussed last month. Think of SMART goals as super-sized goals that match your experience, knowledge, and motivation. Remember to review your Why when you create them and review both throughout the year to help you stay on track and maintain your focus.

SMART goals

• Specific:  Go into detail
• Measurable: Trackable so you can track your progress.
• Achievable: The goals should be achievable based on your skills, experience, and desired time frame.
• Realistic: Your goals should be within the realm of your ability regarding knowledge, time, and resources. 
• Time-based: Have a deadline.

Let CircleCloser help you stay focused in the year ahead

We created CircleCloser to help real estate professionals create the foundation for a lasting business. Just import and rank your database and set goals and CircleCloser will take care of the rest. You’ll know who you need to contact, and most importantly, want to contact each day. Build a real estate business you love while you build relationships with your favorite current and past clients, associates, and more. Fuel your focus and build the foundation for a great business. What are you waiting for? Click here to learn more.