Make Motivation a Daily Habit

Any high-achieving agent will tell you that staying motivated plays a key role in their success. But motivation is a tricky thing. Some days, your feet hit the floor and you feel ready to take on the world. While other days the only thing you really feel like doing is reaching for the remote and binge-watching the latest season of House of Cards.                          

So what separates the highly motivated people? Do they have a secret? Do they always wake up feeling ready to have their best day ever? Not necessarily. But, they do tend to share some common traits and strategies for staying motivated, even when that feeling doesn’t come naturally. Give some of their motivational tips a try:

Change it Up — Structure and routine can contribute to productivity, but they can also kill spontaneity and motivation. If you’re feeling less than inspired, take a break from your regular routine and shake things up. Instead of sitting at your desk all day, take your laptop to a coffee shop, library or park and let the new faces and surroundings inspire you. Turn your schedule upside down and tackle your usual afternoon activities first thing in the morning. Try whatever you need to break out of your routine and make your day interesting again.

Get Back to Basics — It’s hard to feel motivated if you’re not taking care of yourself. If you’ve been getting by on too little sleep and too much fast food, give your body a break and give it what it needs. Drink lots of water, make healthier food choices and catch your Z’s. Although some agents wear ‘no sleep’ as a badge of honor, it’s actually doing damage to your health that you might not see now, but will down the road. Your motivation is guaranteed to go up when your body and mind are nourished and well-rested.

Look Back, Look Ahead — Spend some time reflecting on the different stages of your career — where you were, where you are, and where you hope to be. Think back to a time when you felt extra motivated. If you were doing things differently, what were they and would it make sense to do them again? Take stock of where you are now, and formulate goals for the future. Imagine your ideal scenario and determine what it’s going to take to get there. What was important to you even one year ago may be different than what’s important to you now. It’s very helpful to acknowledge and respond to those changes. When you know exactly what you’re shooting for, you’ll be more motivated to reach it.

Turn to the Experts — It never hurts to get a little help from those who have dedicated their lives to motivating others. Whether you prefer to read, watch, or listen to your favorite motivational speakers (or do all three), spend some time with your favorite expert each day. A quick YouTube search for ‘motivational speeches’ yields thousands of choices, from old-school favorites like Zig Ziglar to contemporary superstars like Tony Robbins. You can also seek out highly motivated agents within your own brokerage and ask them how they stay motivated. They will appreciate being asked, and you’ll get some great real-world advice from someone you know and trust.