New to the industry? Get started with everything you need to know about the early decisions that’ll shape your career, including choosing a brokerage, learning your market, creating an online presence, budgeting, getting leads, marketing listings and so much more. If you’re a team leader or broker-owner, New Agent Month will be jam-packed with resources to help your new hires navigate.
As you are starting your real estate career, one standard piece of advice I want you to ignore is, “Fake it ‘till you make it.” I understand that this advice intends to encourage you to exude confidence and competency. But I would argue, instead of just exuding it, how about you actually have it?
Faking confidence can lead to failure fast. We all know those people who act as if they know more than they do (leads to mistrust), whose confidence looks a bit more like arrogance (leads to a poor reputation), and when someone can’t admit that they made a mistake or don’t know the answer (more mistrust).
From personal experience over many years in the industry, I would rather you tell a client you don’t know and get back to them with the correct answer within 24 hours, then “fake” a response and ultimately leave everyone frustrated and disappointed.
Trust me. Been there, done that. Honesty, coupled with a solution, is a surefire way to build trust and better relationships with clients and colleagues.
Because it’s impossible to know everything, confidence doesn’t come from knowing all there is to know. It comes from knowing (and trusting) that you can find a solution or answer to any challenge that comes your way.
In addition, the more prepared you are, the more confident you will be entering any given situation. And at the end of the day, confidence comes from getting uncomfortable, trying new things, and learning from your success and failures.
You don’t develop confidence by reading about it in a book (or article). You build confidence through action and experience. A bit more daunting and risky, for sure. But that’s how you develop true confidence. Here are five ways to be more confident as a new agent.
Immerse yourself in all things real estate
Yes, I know I said you can’t know everything. But you can know a lot, particularly when you are focusing your training and education on a specific subject (real estate).
Attend any of the trainings from your team or brokerage, and supplement that with your own research and education. There are endless amounts of free resources — articles, webinars, summits — that will teach you even more about real estate sales, contracts, negotiations, relationship management and more.
Make sure you also learn about the broader national and global real estate industry trends, and keep an eye on economic news. Real estate is one career and industry where you will never stop learning — and that’s part of the fun.
Create a habit from Day 1 where you are committed to learning and growing your knowledge, and you’ll be a confident industry expert in no time.
Prepare and practice
It’s one thing to have the knowledge, but a whole other thing to put it into action. A huge part of developing confidence is preparation. Practicing scripts, presentations, showing homes, negotiations, etc., can help you feel prepared before meeting with clients and other agents. No need to fake it when you come prepared!
Create an ideal daily schedule — and stick to it
Consistency is vital in creating confidence. Why? Because it gives you a structure and foundation of success habits that prime you for the day ahead and gives you one less thing to worry about when you are trying to learn all the ins and outs of your new career.
If every day, you are trying to figure out when and where you are going, what you’re going to do, when you’re meeting with clients, when you’re lead-generating, when you’re going to the gym, etc., it gives you less time to be thinking about the things that will help you build your business.
At the very least, work on your morning routine. I recommend some combination of journaling, meditation, exercise or breathing. Clearing your head and getting centered consistently will give you a leg up on your competition and give you the confidence you need to tackle whatever the day brings.
Be intentional about who you surround yourself with
We all know that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with — this especially goes for being intentional about who you are getting advice and feedback from.
Feedback is excellent, and it can absolutely help you hone your skills, thereby giving you even more confidence. However, be careful about who is giving you that feedback and advice. Ask yourself:
- Are they individuals who are confident (truly confident)?
- Are they successful?
- Are they living the life (what you see on Instagram and also what you don’t) that you really want?
- How are their time management habits?
- How are their relationships?
I believe in the value of role models — as long as you choose wisely.
Let go of the outcome
I’m not going to sugarcoat it — letting go of the outcome is one of the hardest things to do for new and experienced agents. Heck — for most everyone. You have to learn to enter situations with a solid base of knowledge, preparation and practice, integrity, and good intentions, and know that whatever happens next is ultimately out of your control.
We can’t own how other people respond and act. We can only control how we show up in each moment. When you genuinely believe in this idea, it gives you the confidence to approach relationships and challenges with authenticity, purpose, an open mind, an open heart, and yes, confidence. Because no matter what the outcome is, you know you can also find a way forward.
The best part about confidence is that you can develop it. It will take time and the willingness to engage in some of the challenging activities above, but it pays off. If you are a new agent, start now. Start today. You’ll be the embodiment of confidence in no time.
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Adam Hergenrother is the founder and CEO of Adam Hergenrother Companies, the author of The Founder & The Force Multiplier, and the host of the podcast, Business Meets Spirituality. Learn more about Adam’s holistic approach to business here.
