I receive several newsletters and ezines in my email, and there seems to be a definitive trend in many of the messages. To name just a few traits out of a long list that many of the motivational speakers talk about frequently: being positive/having a positive mental attitude, having key relationships, and focusing on giving.
Let’s talk a bit about some of these traits:
Positive Attitude
Is your glass half full or is it half empty? Do you believe that you can achieve whatever you dream or do you only think about the “what if’s”?
Have you ever been around someone who focuses on the negative side of things? It’s draining, and I find when I’m exposed to that I have to remove myself from the situation and bring my mind back to a positive feel. It cuts down on my productivity. Worse than that, it makes me want to run away. For a person who is so focused on building relationships, this is counter-productive and frustrating for me. I’ve talked a lot about surrounding yourself with positive people, but have you noticed that by simply being positive, the positive people are attracted to you? Like-minded people seem to band together almost naturally and they act as a support system. They help, encourage, and support each other … and they, in turn, tend to be productive. On the flip side, those who are the pessimists, will likely spend their time complaining and discounting any ideas, etc. Their productivity will be limited.
Which frame of mind do you think will present you with more opportunities? I think the choice is an easy one, and I think that choice will allow you to find more success.
Relationships
Just about every successful person you listen to (or read) will tell you that they didn’t do it alone. Relationships are such a key ingredient to success. These relationships can take many different forms but the one I talk about the most are the “power partners” - those strategic partners. Who do you know, like, and respect that you can team up with? It can be someone in a complementary industry, but it doesn’t have to be. Building these relationships to the point of fruition is work, don’t get me wrong. And while taking this road is certainly not a quick fix, when done well, it can be hugely beneficial. Just remember that these relationships, just as with any other relationship - including those that are personal - need to be nurtured and not taken for granted.
Giving
One of the best questions you can ask someone is “what can I do to help you?”. As you are building relationships, keep in mind “you reap what you sow”. Has someone ever helped you tremendously and you want to find a way to reciprocate? This applies in business just as it does in personal relationships. When we focus on helping others, it comes back to us exponentially. Beyond that payoff, there is one other … it feels good to be able to help someone. For me, that is an even greater payoff.
****
It’s no secret that times are tough right now, but by banding together and helping each other we can ALL succeed. Now is the time to act, and it sometimes means adapting our business to the times. Consider the traits mentioned above and tie them all together. A dash of each of them will provide a winning recipe.
(This is a duplicate posting from a great new resource for those interested in the Birmingham real estate market. Go pay them a visit - they will treat you well.)