Colin's Motivational Mondays

These are two attributes that we all strive, or should be striving for in our lives. Like most things, how we build our foundation for achieving these is most important.  We should focus on being effective first and then efficient . Being efficient without being effective is not a winning combo. We can be efficient at something, but that task might not be important. Busy & productive are not synonyms. Our effectiveness should bring us closer to our goals: Market share & revenue growth. We can always audit our activity by asking this one question to ourselves: Is this bringing me closer to my goals or not?  Let's go out and have a positive effect where we are today.  

Opportunity: A favorable juncture of circumstance. A good chance for achievement or progress.  This week (every week) we have opportunities to gain ground in the direction we want to go personally and professionally. It's up to us to  A) Identify the opportunity B) Respond to the opportunity It's simple, just not easy right. Usually when opportunity presents itself it may not be the best 'moment' for us, but when it's there we GO. We Roll! That is why preparation is so key for us; when preparation meets opportunity we SOAR.  When we seize  the opportunity we Gain Ground in our Marketplaces. We improve the circumstances for ourselves our families, our escrow partners and their families too! What we do, and what we don't do has an impact.  Keep rolling team.....proud of you!!

  Preparation is a huge asset, we need to do it, but always focused on doing it with execution/application in mind. We cannot get caught up in the pursuit of perfection that we miss out or delay our time to 'go for it'. This week let's keep our eye fixed on our goals, stay focused & pursue.  When we do this together our families, our teams, our clients, our prospects & ourselves ALL WIN!

  We are in a unique place right now and there are many perspectives on how to look at it. That is a choice. I am choosing to look at it as an opportunity; we can all find opportunity right now and making the most of it is up to us and that is exciting!  We have a Window of Opportunity!  Some in our space are closing the shutters and waiting for things to go back to 'normal' not us. We will move forward creating value and growing.  "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."  Winston S. Churchill As we are continuing to do things that are not normal for our jobs we have the opportunity to once again grow, achieve & make those tasks opportunities to grow.  We can grow our relationship with our teams because we are in the trenches with them. They value us being there with them and helping.  We can grow our prospecting opportunities when opening orders by calling the Lender, Direc...

Today my encouragement is to be faithful in the small things. The discipline that comes with complete those tasks will be the same discipline that will help us complete and achieve bigger things in our lives personally and professionally. Before we run a marathon we start with stretching.  Today focus on the small things and we will accomplish those as well as bigger goals. Know what you are pursuing today & go, go, go! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-XevZiN2S0 This link above is a great 33 second reminder. 

Most of you probably don't know this, but I ran cross country Sophomore through my Senior year of high school. I began it to do something to stay in shape for baseball, but it grew into something that I really enjoyed.  I always remember the last 1/4 mile. Most races were 5K, or 3.1 miles. Soo much was achieved in the last 1/4 of a mile though through what was called "The Kick". We were trained to not let any one pass us, but to look to pass who may be ahead of us. Giving it all we had until 50 feet beyond the finish line (that was to keep us from slowing down at the end). It was a physical challenge for sure, but the mental challenge was MUCH more. Having to dig deep, not listen to an ache or pain, but keep pushing for ourselves and even bigger or team.  We are blessed to be a part of team that has been running the whole race in "The Kick" I am proud to be beside each of you and all of our teammates through our 14 counties. 

  Let's be a Lighthouse Today Stand Tall Guide Others Give Hope Provide Direction This is what a lighthouse does no mater the climate, circumstance or location. We can be that for those we know and those that don't know us yet. Today lets brighten up & help show our clients, prospects & those around us how to navigate towards success. Let's not forget to do that for one another as well.  Make today GREAT!

We have a TON of resources... Do we need to use them all....NO Do we need to use some of them...YES Do we need to have a working knowledge of them...YES Taking action with what we have is super important. We don't need to be the master of all, but we do need to be the master of some. (Timeless & Timely) With the information we have and how it works we help others grow. Don't keep it to yourself, but share it. It's the right thing and the fun thing to do. It's an awesome rush when a client call you and says "It worked! I got a lead, an listing appointment, etc..."

Scenery isn't changing much. SIP is still here. We are busy.  These can be fuels or fables, our choice.  It's soo important to not allow the routines that are happening get us down. Doing the same or similar things over and over can be boring .....IF we allow it to. That part is up to us.  Below are some simple ideas to break through boredom, keep going towards flourishing and maintain our growth mindset and physical strength.  Lets bust boredom together and as we do this journey we are inspiring others as well. #TheRippleEffect Start the day with a class of water and a short stretch or walk Gameify your activity. (ie: after I talk to 3 prospects I get a snickers bar?) Write down on a sticky note 3 reasons you do what you do and post it on your computer #RememberYourWHY Do some of your calls mobile. Go for a walk around the block while making them Hourly take a music mix break. Play 1 of your favorite songs to get the blood flowing. I'm sure you all have some G...

As we enter in to a new week we have our checklist of things to do, both personal and for business. Sometime we may feel stuck in moving forward towards the accomplishments that we have.  That feeling is normal, our response to that feeling sets the tone for it all though. Do we freeze and stay idle or do we press on moving forward regardless of the pace? I've found that if you start moving forward slowly at least you can build up momentum and get really going!  Lets do what we can today! -The sky is the limit; we set our own bar.  With what we have! -We the the BEST tool, technology and resources; bar-none. Remember though that the best asset we have is the human one; ourselves and our teams.  Where we are! -We may be at our home office or the kitchen table, but technology has made it so we can thrive wherever we are.   Choose action over idleness 

Believing & Pursuing your best, our best daily is a privilege. We have the freedom to do so and the tools, resources & talent to achieve what we want. It won't always be easy, but it will always be worth it. (Easy & worth it rarely come together) Don't hold back. Press forward. Bring others with you.  When we pursue our best we inspires along the way, we may know who we inspire, but there will also be those who say nothing , but their actions enhance & change because they see you going & growing, pursuing goals.  Crush today moving forward celebrating victories, picking up things we had left undone & believing that The BEST is Yet to Come 

Growth. Success. Joy.  These are 3 ingredients that all would like in live; there are others, but I want to share on just these today.  All of them are things that we strive for. Things that we don't hang on a wall, but need to pursue daily; intentionally. I don't believe that any of these happy end by default, but by purposeful pursuit.  Growth: Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, Economically, etc... we pick it and we grow where we focus. We dive in and stretch our selves.  Success: Better every day. In our relationships, profession, etc... when we go for it it's not usually a solo trip but we bring others along with us.  Joy: This is deeper than being happy. Joy isn't just in circumstance, but who we are becoming. We can have joy in good times in through struggles. We can help others receive it as well.  Most of our actions are either bringing us closer or further from these. As we go through our days think about wh...

We are going at it hard. It is paying off and we are all tasting the fruit of our labor. Just like we plug in our phones at night to charge we need to do the same for ourselves. The recharge helps up to keep going, stirs creativity, lifts our spirits & much more.   Make sure you are taking a moment throughout the day to pause, recharge, asses & refuel your mind & body.  We are not good if we don't take care of ourselves. We can't take care of others unless we are taking care of ourselves.  Pause, give thanks, refuel & pass it on. 

There are many ways to be successful in our careers, there are different techniques, processes & styles.  Some may be more effective, but there are many ways to achieve. There are a few musts in the job of 'sales' no matter your style that is needed to be a top- achiever.  Here are a few of them below to think about and see how we are living/applying them in our daily actions.  Cheers to a great month ahead! What we do now has a far reaching impact.  - Play to win.  Top sellers are extremely dedicated to becoming Top Performers, exhibiting the hustle, passion, and intensity it takes to achieve what only the elite achieve. If you want to win, give it everything. - Create new conversations every day.  Top performers always feed the front of their pipelines and improve their pipeline quality. They never coast, and never a day goes by when they don't speak to customers, prospects, and referral sources with the intent to source new business...

As we continue to be market share growth focused asking the right questions when we get an audience is HUGE.  Broad, open-ended sales questions are great for helping you find out what's going on in your prospects' and clients' worlds. They are essential to sales success.  In fact, "listened to me" , "understand my needs" & "make me feel important" are three wants from those we are meeting with or want to meet with.   Sales questions also help you connect with them personally, understand what's important to them, learn how we can best deliver value, and create better futures for them and us.  The importance of asking the   right   sales questions cannot be understated. (Hint: You need to ask more than "what can I help you with?") - What's going on in your business these days? How have things changed? (Their view/opinion matters) - If you were to make this happen, what would it mean for you personally? (Talki...

So as you all know Nicolette is just over 1 now and has a strong affinity for Disney movies. (Amen to Disney+) Usually, daily we watch Moana &/or Mulan with her and will pick up parts we never noticed before.  This weekend her and I were watching Mulan and that is where my inspiration for today MM came from :) Link to the Video Clip Above is a quote from the Emperor in the movie. One small grain of rice can tip the scale, one small act, one small word can be the difference between success achieved & success missed. This was a good reminder for me to make sure I'm paying attention to the details, starting & finishing well.  Sometimes that "1 little" thing we did, that 1 call we made, that 1 outreach can tip the scales in our favor and achieve something great.   ----Short Story---- Years ago Bryan called a refi lender from open orders that he didn't recognize. He asked some leading questions and connected with the...

Each day we have a list. Weather it's written down in a note pad, planner, scrap paper or just in our heads. Consciously or subconsciously we all have a list and that is step 1, the next, and most crucial step (besides execution) is prioritizing what we have 'to do' on the list. We we have it prioritized it helps us go where we are most needed and not just where we are most comfortable.  Below is a visual grid to check out as well as a hyperlink below to a great prioritization sheet for tasks.  Make today YOUR masterpieces! Check this hyperlink below The Best TO DO Checklist

We do what we can, with what we have, at the time it's needed, we do our best. Our best is dynamic.  Our outlook has a HUGE impact our our outcome. Each day let's focus on the opportunity that is in each scenario we face. 

Soo much of what we share isn't in our words, but in how we say them, our expressions our posture and more.  When we are with people in person (or digitally) they are hearing more than our words, feeling what we are putting out and visa versa.  When we are getting ready to engage in conversation, meetings, now via zoom, bombbomb or others it's super important to from all that we can with our positive spirit. This applies in business, but everywhere else as well.  Have a beautiful day team and if you need anything please call.  Here's an article with some great ideas too:  https://www.bustle.com/p/13-tried-true-ways-to-give-off-more-positive-energy-that-people-can-actually-sense-74267

Thank You Dr. Seuss We have our routines that work.  We have our routines that don't work as well.  We have our routines that don't really work.  Keep what works and TRY something new today and see how it goes. Maybe you've heard about it, read about it or saw it. Today, try it and see what happens. Give it a shot and grow your limits today. You Got This!

Where we go, who we see...engage & connect At times we can be thinking about what we have next or what we just wrapped up that we are not fully present in what we are doing or who we are currently with. We don't distract on purpose, but it happens.  This is to think about not just 8-5 at work but all of the other times of our lives. Ever since Mitch shared the story with me about envisioning a sign on their foreheads that say 'make me feel important' I have really tried striving to be more present where I am & with who I'm with.  I just found where that story originated from and wanted to share it below: https://www.marykay.com/en-us/about-mary-kay/our-founder

"Optimism is a muscle that get's stronger with use." As we approach our days, tasks, challenges, conversations, etc... I encourage us all no matter what it is to approach it with optimism. Begin with success in your heart and in your mind and don't let doubt creep in. We all have great talents and abilities and when we cultivate those and put them to use incredible things happen; sometimes right away and sometimes it's after a longer journey to the goal, but the goal is realized. You CAN do it!  Attack today with verve for it and what is before you and I know incredible things will happen...and when they do CELEBRATE!

As we are getting ready for 2020 with our business and personal plans I have been reflecting on making sure they stay active with us and nit just a document but a living document that we pursue for the betterment of not just ourselves, but those around us as well. Check out the video below:

This picture was shared with me over the weekend and I wanted to pass it along with a little bit of commentary.  Check out the video below: Slow down Be Grateful Take care of yourself. Eat healthy/Limit caffeine Call a mentor or trusted friend Don't be a victim/Stay positive Breathe Keep it in perspective

There's literally no better time than now to plant your seeds and start watering your garden for this upcoming year Team,  Today we can choose to DO what others just think about.  Today we can choose to step out of COMFORT with COURAGE to GROW.  Today we can Be The Exception!

Hi Team, I have thinking a lot about how we can move from competent  to confident in what we do, what we present, how we share & how we convert in our daily activities. Below are going to be some thought on how we can grow in confidence that I think apply to nearly anything.  Practice, review, practice.  Repetition is key. Just like our bodies and muscle memory we can be the same in our activities, product knowledge and presentation skills. There isn't a secret recipe; it just take time, grit and a wiliness to learn while making mistakes along the way.  Take Action. Fail Forward. We cannot become more competent and therefore confident if we don't push ourselves. When we push we open ourselves up for growth and with growth we are not perfect, be ok with that. Don't be ok with staying in the same place though. Don't let fear stop you from trying....EVER.    Seek Resources We don't get better solo. We get better ...

I've been re-reading a book and over the weekend a part of it talked about 3 characteristics that are needed in sales...to be great in sales Boldness Enthusiasm Persistence Below are the definitions of each of the words. This weekend I sat and thought about each one of them and if I am seeing them in my life/activities and if so how often. We are all like trees that bear fruit, some trees bear more than others & I believe it is all of our goals to be vibrant, bearing much fruit.  Today....let's make sure we curate & dive into these three characteristics looking to apply them in our practices....Go for it.....YOU deserve it!

Earlier this month we had a teammate retire after 62 years with the company; yes 62 years! She shared with us all many stories from her years in the industry that were incredible, but one thing that really stood out to Donna and Myself was her final message that I have below in the picture.  She was adamant that she always gave it her best, not just for herself, but for those that relied on her. Her family. Her clients. Her escrow teams. She said that it was about the people around her just as much as her. That is what pushed her to do what she needed to do, when it needed to be done weather she felt like it or not.  I just wanted to share Sue's words with us all today. 

Hi Team,  As we focus on G-R-O-W-T-H sometimes we don't arrive to our destination as quick as we'd like. We have to keep focused on the goal, focused on our actionable steps we are taking to get there and focused on following up.  Keep pressing towards achieving your goals and exhaust all of your resources so we either win by giving it our all or we don't, we know we left it all out there giving it our bes t for ourselves, our families & our teams. 

Hey Everyone,  Today's topic is one that I have been sitting on and milling around for a while. It's a reminder to all of us that with the technologies, the high speeds of the world and our industry the Human 2 Human interaction in still King. These tech tools are widgets that give us more opportunities to have meaningful and purposeful conversations, interactions and meetings that produce the fruits of our labor.  Today's little reminder is that whatever we do there is a human on the other side, just like you & I. It's our job to find a way to build a meaningful connection with them. Once that moves them from where they are. That is not just true in our markets, but in our offices and homes.  Human-to-Human & Connect

"To make today successful I MUST get these things done. Other activities are nice, but these three essential to my success so they will be done. To ensure that they are completed I won't let busy work get in the way so I will do these first while I'm fresh & focused." This is something I adapted from an interview I heard with Warren Buffett and you'll always find a stack of sticky notes on my desk because of it. He talked about having 3 top priority goals for the day that needed to be accomplished; other things cold and would get done but these 3 were a must. This has helped me clear away clutter and 'noise' in my day. It's not perfect, but it's helped with progress.  What are your top 3? Feel free to share them below if you'd like and then go after and complete them.  You got it!  

"I'm not interested in getting your business, I'm interested in keeping it." We need glue in our relationships and it's our responsibility to apply it and make sure it sticks.  Danielle & I started watching a new tv show and one of the characters said the above line and it resonated with me. We focus a lot on the acquisition of new business which is needed because it's the first part, but the second part; keeping it is equally as important if not more. You worked hard to build up the trust, relationship and bring value and keeping it, preserving your hard work is important.  The on-boarding of a new client is key and the continual check in or deposits into the relationship days, months and years ongoing in a consistent and value-added way.  Getting + Keeping = Sustained Success

In a book I just finished (chop wood & carry water) the author wrote something that really resonated with me. "Under pressure you don't rise up to the occasion; you sink to the level of your training/preparation." This was a statement that I really sat on for a while. It made me think back to times when I thrived and when I failed. I could look back and see a correlation from my level of preparation and training and the outcome. This is true in all aspects of life. Wanting to be great at something and pursuing greatness are two different things. We we start the pursuit of of a skill or talent it starts off slow and that is normal, but most of the time we expect it to be quick and easy. if it's worth it we stick to it though.  What is something you want to excel at? ________________ We identify it, we crawl, walk or run to get there but we get there as long as we keep pursuing. And remember this pursuit isn't meant to be a solo journey. Use th...

Who & How we have conversations are the keys to making the conversations meaningful Conversations lead to closings. We can't close or connect with anyone without talking with them, not emailing, but talking with them. The prep work is just s important as when the conversation is happening as well. When we approach anything with a plan, that doesn't mean that plans can't change but being truly prepared for something will help us even if we have to pivot as it moves forward.  When we target the "Who" we want to be targeting and make it a pursuit list not just something on that wall that is a HUGE first step. Identifying who we want to connect with. I have two list every week of friends/family that I want to talk with this week and another that is work related. This helps me focus.  The second part, the "How" helps us with what 'value' we would like to bring into the conversation. Knowing some of the key points we would like to share i...

We can't make new friends and grew new relationships unless we meet/talk with people we don't already know. I think we can agree that we all know that, but sometimes we have obstacles or hurdles in front us us from making those new connections. I think that these hurdles are smaller than we make them out to be sometimes. We can substitute that time we could spend cultivating new by doing busy items that fill our day inside when we should be out. Good really can be the greatest adversary of great. Today let's make sure that great wins and get out there! Prospect, meet, connect with people around us. Great things can grow, but only of seeds are first planted. Rock on Team!

Whatever we have in front of us for the day we look at it through our lens; that is our choice.  Choose Optimism. Believe that the world is conspiring for you, not against you. That what your are doing for the day does mater. That who you are meeting with does want to connect and work with you.  The prospecting you are doing WILL result positively for you and your team. We need to have a positive approach to what we do, if not we are starting at a disadvantage that we brought on ourselves. Hope is not a plan for success, but preparation is a great step towards success. One of the keys to being optimistic is preparation for the day.  Let's make sure that we are taking care of ourselves in an effort to be the best we can to achieve our potential, not just for us but for those around us. When we reach our full potential we elevate those around us as well. 

It not mistakes that limit us, it's the fear of making them and never going for it that goes.   I was watching the NBA playoffs last night and a HUGE shot was made at the end of regulation for the win and it went in! The Raptors won 90-92 and are heading to the Easter Conference Championships. They won because the shot went in, but if it didn't they would have had no shot to win. No attempt = 0% chance of winning.   It really stood out to me that it's just a part of the game. Sometimes it goes in, some times it doesn't but that doesn't mean you only go for layups because they are the easiest. They still practice  daily ,   their all around game in preparation for their performances when it matters during  the game. The final thought it really simple: A miss doesn't define you, not going for it does though. Let it be NBA or in sales or life in general, if we don't go for it and try we will never have a chance at it and the more we practice a...

It's super important that we are taking intentional actions in feeding our mind with things than foster growth and joy. I believe there has to be a balance, but before there is balance there has to be intake. It doesn't have to be a long drawn out time or process. It can take place on your first drive of the day. That is when I spend some time putting some motivation in my mind for the day.  There are may podcasts, audible's, books, etc... that you can dive into so I'd recommend asking some of your peers what they are doing for ideas or there is always google. I've put a list of a few things that I subscribe to below as well to check out if you'd like.  Remember the compound effect:  Th e Compound Effect is the ripple effect you get from the choices you make.  In life, you not only reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow. The seemingly insignificant  choices we make daily , will create major changes in your life for good or bad. These are the ...

Time and talent go hand.  Where we spend our time is usually where our talents shine and are put to use. We also spend out time sharpening our talents and the balance of both, always has to be there. Time spend improving our talents & then times spent putting our talents to work in our marketplaces, communities & homes. This week my encouragement is to be purposeful two fold. Take intentional time to sharpen one of your talents this week and then to compliment it put that into action by applying that talent to parts of your life and it may be a part that you haven't applied that talent (old or new talent) to before.  Stretch & Growth this week using your time & talents to be great!

The small things/actions make a HUGE difference.  Over the weekend I was listing to a show and they talked about the compound effect one one action repeated over time. We talk or hear about winning the day which is great and frequently I talk about needing to win the morning myself to win the rest of the day. My "ah-ha" came with making it more granular to winning the minute, then the hour to win the day. An example of this is not hitting the snooze button in the am making our first action one of delay. Instead getting out of bed and starting a productive routine.  Rock each action today in the moment/minute and win...keep it rolling and the outcomes will be awesome. 

Today has probably started just like every other day. It's up to us how the day progresses, what we do and how we respond to what is in front of us. Today look for that 'dare-to-be-great' moment. It may be something big or a small action with a big impact. Great things aren't always noticed by many, but those that notice, it matters a lot to. Have an extraordinary day today!