Why most real estate agents fail (and 8 tips for success)

Why do most real estate agents fail? Easy — it’s because they never learned how to succeed.

They apply the wrong tactics and have the wrong attitude for success.

Keeping on top of emails, prospecting, presentations, deadlines, paperwork, industry information, client meetings, your marketing approach — it’s a lot to do, even for the savviest agents. What’s their secret? Making a plan and acting on it.

Agents without a plan get frustrated and quit, especially if they don’t see instant results for their efforts.

So to help you enjoy a long, prosperous real estate career, here are a few pointers to make reaching your goals feel less daunting and a little more rewarding. If you’re not afraid to challenge yourself, take these on:

Write down your goals

Break down your goals by what you want to achieve this year, month, week and day. Mapping out your plan of success in such detail will help you will stay focused and on the right path.

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This might seem like an obvious first step, but you’d be surprised how many people skip it. And it’s been shown that just by writing your goals down, you increase your chances of completing them.

So get your planners out and start writing!

Stop multitasking

When we give our attention to more than one thing at a time, it’s easier to make mistakes. Mistakes cause stress, stress causes anxiety, anxiety leads to frustration, etc.

Frantically doing 10 things at once could cause more harm than good.

Give each task the attention it deserves until it’s time to move on to the next task. Create a schedule that allows you to get things done during a set time period without having to take shortcuts or feel overwhelmed.

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Your daily to-dos

You know what your goals are (see step one). Now, how are you going to reach them?

Every night before you call it quits, write down the tasks you need to accomplish for the next day.

This way you can start the next day running with a clear game plan. Now, you’ll be organized and focused all day long. Do yourself a favor and skip the stress that comes with being disorganized.

Use time wisely

Being busy is not the same thing as being productive. You can surf social media or read industry news until the sun goes down, but that’s probably not going to get you any closer to achieving your goals.

A great way to keep focused throughout the day is to get a timer.

Try a 25-minute work session followed by a five minute break, then repeat as needed.

Breaking up your tasks into half-hour intervals is a great solution for people struggling with procrastination.

Ditch the distractions

As a real estate agent, you have to police yourself when it comes to playtime and work-time. Stay away from or get rid of any unproductive apps, websites and games that might be holding you back.

As everybody’s favorite Uncle Joey used to say, “Cut. It. Out.” Anything that takes away from your productivity — cut it out of your workday.

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Find your routine

A well-oiled routine is the perfect way to keep your productivity up.

This doesn’t just mean creating a consistent work schedule. It also means keeping a consistent non-work schedule.

The things you do in your off time can affect your productivity as well. Ditch any bad habits that lead rough mornings to create a truly efficient work routine.

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Take care of yourself

For some people, sacrificing sleep for a job is the definition of a hard worker. And there is some truth to that because without proper sleep, your body and brain have to work harder to complete the same tasks. A lack of sleep lowers your alertness, messes with your mood and lowers your job performance.

So in order to sustain a long prosperous career, get a good night’s rest, eat healthy and exercise regularly. There are no shortcuts to lasting success and it all starts with taking care of No. 1.

‘I think I can…’

The way you think affects everything you do in life.

If you think the world is out to get you and getting ahead is impossible, then that will become your reality. But if you figure out how to overcome challenges instead of complaining about them, you’re on the right track for success.

There, see? You don’t need to go to Tony Robbins seminars to become successful. A little organization and self-discipline can go a long way.

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And as long as you keep striving to get better every day, you’ll never be a failure — just a successful person in training.

If you have any tips or tactics that have helped you become more productive, feel free to share them in the comments section below.

Charles is the copywriter for Allied Real Estate Schools.

Email Charles Price.