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Key takeouts from our keynote speaker: Mark Wales

At UrbanX, we believe in helping real estate agents with wealth, health, growth, love and contribution. Our annual XCON event provides our partners with an opportunity to come together and learn. And now we’re sharing the insights with you.

Next in our XCON 2022 keynote speaker key takeouts, we learn from from SAS soldier, business consultant, and business owner, Mark Wales. 

Continuing on from, Jason Adcock, Mark discussed the importance of focus, discipline and good habits to succeed – behaviours that he learned in the military that have applied to his professional life and beyond. They are behaviours that you should apply in your life, too. 

 

Takeout #1: Always be battle ready  

“Keep your axe sharp at all times” 

Mark learned this from his lumberjack grandfather and soon realised he wasn’t referring to a tool. Rather, it was a lesson in the importance of honing your craft, looking after yourself, and being ready to strike.  

Mark’s advice? “Keep your mind, body, spirit and tools sharp at all times. It’s how you’ll capitalise on opportunities when they arise.”

What does this mean for real estate agents?

Make sure you’re always fit and healthy, constantly developing your skills, keeping close contact with your vendors, buyers, and community and don’t get complacent.

Takeout #2: Time is short 

“The clock is ticking. Get started now.” 

Early in his life, Mark lost his mother to cancer. When asked about her biggest regret, it was that she thought she’d have more time.  

With this in mind, stop worrying about what others think and chase what you want to achieve. And on your journey, things will be tough and you’ll get knocked down so remember your mission, dust yourself off and keep pushing. Learn how to positively respond to failure, adapt and learn. 

As Winston Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

What does this mean for real estate agents?

If you’ve been thinking about starting your own business, the time is now!

If you’re already working in your business, don’t put off the things you know you should be doing. Be prepared for the changing market, and when things seem tougher keep pushing through. You’ve got this (and we’ve got your back)!

Takeout #3: Focus on one thing 

“Who Dares Wins. Take a big risk to get a great outcome.”

Do you notice something in this sentence? Focus. Mark talks about “A” risk and “An” outcome. To be successful, just choose one target and put all your focus and resources on that one target.  

Limit your objectives. Keep it simple. Make it easy for your team to know what the plan is. And if you’re juggling too many things, don’t forget that “Complexity is the enemy of execution.”  

What does this mean for real estate agents?

Focus on the income producing activities in your business – listing and selling. Get your marketing campaigns moving and keep prospecting every day. As the market falls, focusing on driving new listings will be the key to your success.

Takeout #4: Know your mission, put your team first, and look after yourself 

“Things will happen that aren’t your fault, but they’re always your responsibility.” 

As a business leader, the buck stops with you. Mark suggests the following order of priority (taken from the SAS) when running your business: 

  1. Mission – Don’t waver from your mission. Mission focused companies return 6x more than profit driven ones. 
  2. Team – Look after your team first. High levels of support create high levels of psychological safety and empowers people. 
  3. Self – Look after yourself, physically and mentally. If you don’t look after yourself, you can’t look after others. 
What does this mean for real estate agents?

If you’re a business owner or principal, share your mission with your team. Support them to succeed and create an environment where they can shine. Take time each day to take care of yourself.

If you’re working for someone and you don’t know the mission, aren’t supported, and don’t have work-life balance, talk to us about joining UrbanX!

Takeout #5: The fundamentals of high performance 

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” 

The quote above from Will Durant reinforces the importance of good habits. While this applies to everything you do, for high performance it relates to 3 things: 

  • Exercise 
  • Food 
  • Rest 

These are the fundamentals of high performance. Bring them into balance. In times of stress be aware which is out of balance and be disciplined about bringing things back into alignment.  

Tip: Habits take about 66 days, or 10 weeks, to stick. Keep with it and before you know it you’ll find your flow.  

What does this mean for real estate agents?

We know how hectic real estate agent life can get. Step back and focus on the things you need to do to become the best possible version of yourself. If that means a new exercise routine, better eating, or more rest,  start by focusing on getting 1% better every day.

 

Watch the highlights in the video below.

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