Anand Patel

By Anand Patel

Successful real estate agents are failures.

Let me explain. To really make it big in real estate, we have to accept the fact that failing — A LOT — is part of the equation. We all know real estate is a numbers game, we just have to remember that every time we fail (i.e. FSBO says, “I just bought this new how-to book and I’m selling my home myself!” Buyer says, “Sorry, I’m working with my sister’s ex-boyfriend’s step mom who just got her real estate license.”) we are one step closer to getting that “Yes!” If we aren’t failing at least weekly, preferably DAILY, we aren’t stepping outside our comfort zone enough. This means we are settling and not pushing ourselves beyond what we “think” we are capable of accomplishing. We all know, deep down, we can each do MORE. I have to remind myself all the time when I get in a rut.

So what do we do to keep moving forward, being persistent, resilient, and staying motivated in the face of “failing” daily?

• Make a game out of it. Why can’t failing be fun? Keep tally on a whiteboard in your office of each call that’s a “No” and then celebrate the eventual “Yes!” with a simple pat on the back, a little victory dance at your desk, or buy yourself that new jacket you’ve been wanting as a reward. Do whatever it takes to make it fun and enjoyable.
• Don’t take it personally. Each person you don’t attempt to call or approach, you are already 100 percent guaranteed NOT to get their business. What do you have to lose?
• My favorite method: Have a theme song you play in your mind that pushes you each time you “fail.” I like to use the sage rapper Jay-Z’s song “On to the Next One.” Maybe your theme song is Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop,” Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” or Chumbawamba’s one hit wonder “Tubthumping (I Get Knocked Down).” Find a song you like that motivates you to keep moving forward in spite of constant rejection.

We all picked an industry that takes a lot of “failing” to succeed, but this is what makes us who we are as REALTORS®. This is why we are so resilient (this is also why many employers in other industries look to recruit former real estate professionals).  Don’t be afraid to fail, bounce back and keep failing daily…and remember with each rejection — it’s “On to the Next One!”

Anand Patel is a broker licensed in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi with Elite REO Services and Elite Premier Properties. You can connect with Anand on Twitter: @anand_tampa; Facebook: www.facebook.com/livingelite; LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anandpatel1 or on the Web at www.anandsblog.com.