How do you feel about feeling uncomfortable?
More than 90% of realtors around the world perform inside their comfort zone, which is exactly why only 5% -10% of realtors ever become top producers.
Let me share a real experience that will easily point out the important pieces of the puzzle.
When I first went to a Mike Ferry event, there were roughly 3,000 real estate agents and brokers there (for those of you who don't know Mike, he's been the leading coach/trainer in our industry for the last 40 years).
Walking around the huge conference room, you could sense different energies and different levels of professionalism. Many people (sitting in the back) were not dressed up for a business conference at all, it seams as if they were waiting for the training to end so they could go chill out at the pool (or the bar). You could tell these weren't so enthused and excited about learning and growing their skills. They were using the event to run away from home and vacation their lazy butts.
In the center section, a good mix of people, some were alone, while others arrived with larger groups and had a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Most of them were dressed professional and you could quickly tell they were there to learn and get ideas to grow their business.
In the front of the room (about 5% of the participants), sitting in the reserved section, these are the top producers who make 50+ transactions a year. You could easily and quickly sense their level of commitment to learn, they were super focused and determined to network with other successful realtors and share ideas, get referrals and the most obvious, grow their skills and learn from other successful agents around the country.
This probably covers every major real estate training event around the country. In the front are those who wish to grow themselves and understand that in order for their business to grow, they must grow first! They gladly jump into unfamiliar waters and STAY there until it feels comfortable. They feel comfortable feeling uncomfortable. They treat the event seriously and try to learn as much as possible and then go back home to PRACTICE what they've learned. In addition, those in the front (top producers, 5% of the realtor population) hire a coach to hold them accountable, someone who already achieved what they're trying to achieve and is committed to help them do the same. These top producers always keep their minds open and stay coachable, they gladly accept constructive criticism.
In the center front, you'll find many upcoming top producers (roughly 10% of the realtor population). They are there to learn. They make notes, they ask questions, the participate, they network, they don't criticize the front of the room, they are opened to constructive criticism from others and actually ask for it. They also hire a coach and gladly accept accountability, they understand the need to have someone else hold them accountable and they are willing to invest top dollars to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for the growth of their business.
In the back of the room, you'll find most low producers, plenty of distraction, people texting, using their phones, continually move around, whispering (or out laud) destructive criticism, judgmental approach (especially towards the successful people on stage), and overall feel of: "When will this be over, I need a drink" kind of mindset. In this section low producers and none producers find their comfort zone. They stay away from any opportunity to network with successful people and they aren't interested to do anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.
Now of course, not ALL of the ones in the back are the same, so if you set in the back before, don't go negative on me for stating the obvious :)
Let me go back to the headline and make a point of study.
Here are some of the traits of top producers and how they behave in training events: (try to mimic these traits or you'll never grow your business to be large enough to allow you financial freedom)
Go early and find a seat in the front (if event starts at 8:30AM, be there at 7:30AM unless you have a reserved front seat)
Bring plenty of positivity and an open mind
Be ready to get criticized and grow from it
Dressed professionally, look professional.
Invest money in books, seminars, coaching (hire a coach), training events.
Wake up early (not later than 6AM)
Stay positive in negative situations
Be ready to learn new things all the time
Put your ego aside (nobody knows it all)
Bring lots of business cards and invest time in meeting new people and exchange cards
Make notes, compare notes, share notes and points
Go eat lunch with top producers (every opportunity you have should be used to spend time with top producers who do better than you)
Don't hang out with negative people
Copy what other successful people do
Go to sleep early, don't drink alcohol during a training event (one glass of wine is fine, as long as it won't make you forget this rule and have another drink)
Stay loyal to your spouse (don't go mingling and searching for "opportunities", I have seen plenty of losers doing that).
Don't try to recruit other agents (this one if for brokers/recruiters who try to recruit at the events...hold your horses, grab business cards, have meaningful conversations with agents and follow up in a later date).
Don't answer your phone during the event hours, don't text, don't check emails. These things can wait and will wait for when the training session is over or at the break.
When a session is over, make sure to go to dinner with other producers (in most events the speaker/coach/trainer will guide you to group with others).
Go over the notes at the end of each day and make a commitment to use the information.
When you go back home, back to your office the following days, make sure to stay focused, don't share with those who didn't attend the event and let them poke you. Stay positive.
Write a new business plan and a schedule to follow exactly what you learned.
Put the information in action. Use the scripts given, use the schedule, wake up early, exercise, eat healthy, stay on point.
Practice getting uncomfortable, put yourself in unfamiliar situations on purpose and see how you handle it.
Stay the course. For crying out laud, don't quit! Never quit.