Whether you are an agent just starting out or a mega agent expanding to a new city, successful agents all have one thing in common – they set and demolish their goals. And with a goal-oriented mindset, they know that every milestone they want to achieve is fully within reach.
Meant For Real Estate
Growing up in a real estate family, my life has always been all about real estate. Even when I graduated from college and swore I’d find another path, I found myself staying in real estate. I went on to become a Keller Williams Team Leader in 2004 and have been helping agents build big lives ever since. So you could say that while I didn’t plan to be a real estate agent, once I became one and realized the life I could build in this field, I never looked back. Today, I do have a plan and I’m constantly polishing it up to help me reach my goals, and then set new ones. That is what having a goal-oriented mindset is all about.
You’re Always Hitting Your Mark
Driven by my love of seeing people grow and aspire to achieve more, I am proud to say that every month of every year in my role as Team Leader we have increased our roster, retention and agent profitability. In fact, every office that I’ve run quickly became number one within our own region. How? By adopting and maintaining a goal-oriented mindset that pushes us higher. We don’t reach a milestone and then stop, because you don’t become the number one office in your market with that mindset. No, we reach a milestone and then we push ourselves even further!
What does it mean to have a goal-oriented mindset? It is:
- Knowing what you’re going for
- Having clarity on what you want to accomplish
- Evaluating tangible metrics
It is NOT having an end or finishing; the finish line keeps moving farther as you reach your goals. It’s like a fun game to play that never ends. And as with all games there is the element of competition as well. I am extremely competitive, and when I say I have a goal, I take it seriously and believe anyone in a leadership role should do so as well. If you don’t commit to the goals you’ve set, your reputation is on the line and so is the success of others.
As leaders, we are role models, and others are watching what we do and depend on us to guide them to success. With all eyes on you, when you set a goal and make it known, you are more likely to hit it. And to the contrary, when you don’t meet a goal, you may be letting others down, and no leader ever wants to be in that position.
It’s About Progress Over Perfection
I may have been born with a real estate destiny, but I wasn’t born a goal setter and it didn’t happen overnight. It has been decades in the making. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things about what it means to be a determined goal-oriented leader.
- Ditch the idea of perfection. It’s not about perfection, it’s about making progress.
- Make sure to set feasible, attainable and measurable goals.
- Constantly monitor your progress and don’t be afraid to pivot as needed. I keep track of my goals daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly. I know going in before the month begins how many working days I have to accomplish my goals, and I’m in control. If you keep track weekly of where you are and where you’re headed, you can make quick changes, get out of the box and make a massive shift – if you’re going in the right direction.
- Find an accountability partner you can share your goals with. You are more likely to succeed by sharing what you intend to accomplish with one other person.
- Have role models who are crushing their goals and aspire to soar high with them. And to that point, surround yourself with supportive, successful people who will pick you up when you get knocked down.
- You won’t win all the time, so give yourself grace if you fall short. No one talks to us more than we talk to ourselves. If we beat ourselves up, how are we going to get into the mindset of winning?
- Be aware and vulnerable. Yes, it’s ok to be vulnerable. We are working on making progress and no one expects us to be perfect.
Related Reading: KW Coaching Corner: How to Stay Determined and Dedicated to Your Long-Term Vision
Reaping the Rewards
I’ve learned that like seeds, goals will only sprout in the right environment, and am confident to say that Keller Williams cultivates the perfect environment for success. The strong culture of caring has been built and maintained with intention and the opportunities for success are truly limitless here.
All this talk about goals and I haven’t yet shared with you my ultimate goal.
Through it all, in the end I want to inspire others to be the best versions of themselves and support them on that journey. I know I rely on key people in my life to help me grow, and I want to be that key person for others. I challenge you all to surround yourself with people who are supporting your vision. And always remember, there is no finish line, it is a continuous, beautiful journey!
Take Jessica’s lead to have a goal-oriented mindset:
- Ditch the idea of perfection.
- Set feasible, attainable and measurable goals.
- Constantly monitor your progress.
- Get an accountability partner.
- Be gentle with yourself – there will be failures.
- Be flexible and pivot when needed.
- And make it fun!
What are your biggest goals for the year and how will you be working to achieve them? Let us know in the comments section.
Thank you for a great article I appreciate and plan to put into action the tips provided!
Hi Johnney, we so appreciate the support. For more on goal-setting, check out:
7 Common Goal-Setting Mistakes to Avoid