What we know about real estate is that it always comes down to the fundamentals. The fundamentals always stay the same, but the ‘game’ just speeds up. Here fundamentals 16 through 19 of the 19 Things They Don’t Teach You in Real Estate School:

   16. Be a Time-Blocking Ninja. This one is mission critical. Reality check: you don’t spend time; you just utilize it. This is more about priority management and where you place your values and priorities. What it boils down to is what do you really place more priority in and value on – is it an incredible life for yourself, or being comfortable? 

Evaluate your calendar and ask yourself if the tasks and appointments on it match your goals. Make a list of the things that are important to you, then take a blank calendar and time block in order of priority. Maybe the order of importance is family/vacation time, commitments to events, lead generation/follow-up and then everything else. Whatever the order, block out all your family/vacation time first, then fit the other things in accordingly.

You are in control of your calendar, as well as your life, and time blocking is being proactive. By having your calendar blocked off for what is important, when something does come up, you can give options for your availability to others to see which of those options works best. By filling in your calendar with the important things first, everything else will settle in accordingly. 

There is never enough time in the day to do everything, but there is enough time to do the important things. Get clear around your values and priorities, schedule the important things first, and be unwavering in your commitment to get them done.

   17. Live in Abundance, Not Scarcity. Are you living in faith or fear? You can’t see either, so why not live in faith (if you aren’t already)? Stop letting fear make all your decisions. You’re one decision away from whatever it is you want to be and have in this world; you just have to decide. It doesn’t take validation from those around you to confirm your life’s mission. Make up your mind and go for something!

When you peel back the layers of fear, most people are afraid of success and that’s what trips them up. It begins with your mindset, so first and foremost, make sure that’s in check. Otherwise, nothing else matters. You can have reasons or results, but not both. So, what are you willing to sacrifice in order to have a better life and vision for yourself?

   18. Create a Vision for Your Business. By doing so, it keeps you forward thinking instead of in the here and now. Your vision represents who you are and is what’s going to attract other people into your world so it’s important to know how to articulate it. People are attracted to those with a vision and a purpose. They don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. The reason, vision and why behind it is what makes you unique and what’s going to serve your mission and purpose accordingly.

Begin with the end in mind and make sure that every decision you make aligns with your vision and purpose. In doing so, you can’t go wrong. In times of uncertainty, go inward and think about what the next first step is that you can make. 

A person without a dream has never had a dream come true. Really think about what vision and impact you want to have. What does the world look like when it’s thriving and achieving the goals you set out to achieve? Who gets impacted by them and what’s the significance you’re going to leave behind? Then, put one foot in front of the other.

   19. Know Your Big ‘Why.’ This is important but it doesn’t have to be perfectly thought out. At the end of the day, knowing your big why is what’s important. And it doesn’t matter what others think. If whatever ‘it’ is stirs up your soul, creates immediate emotion inside of you, and prompts you to take action, that’s what matters.

Here are some things to think about:

1. What gets you out of bed in the morning?
2. In the pain of adversity, what will keep you going? This is a heart thing. What is going to keep you going even when your mind is telling you not to do it? This has to speak to the soul otherwise, your mind will be tempted to talk you out of it.
3. Does your ‘why’ make your cry? Understand what’s it’s really about and what it all means in the grand scheme of things. Whatever you’re working towards must be bigger than you.
4. When the ‘why’ is big enough, the ‘how’ doesn’t matter. When you’re aligned with your purpose, opportunity will be presented to you. Your job is to walk through those doors when they open.
5. Who else sacrifices if you don’t hit your goal? What’s at risk?
6. Keep asking yourself ‘Why is this my why?’
7. Are you choosing to play ‘all in?’ Are you playing to win or playing not to lose? Rate yourself on a self-assessment. Are you really performing your best? What do you have to lose at the end of the day if you give it 100%? Is there really such a thing as failure if that’s the case?

There are no participation trophies in real estate. If you’re not willing to get uncomfortable with things, your bank account will make you uncomfortable. Every single day, the window of opportunity closes the longer you procrastinate and delay instead of acting. You are in control here. Remember, logic makes people think, emotion makes people act. 

Come back to the 19 Things They Don’t Teach You In Real Estate School often. How you hear the information today will be different from how you hear it six months or a year from now. And remember, if you change the way you think about things, the things you think about change.