Are You Okay With Inertia?

If you are the same person and in the same place 3 years from now…is that okay with you? 

That’s the question I ask myself every day when I wake up.  Not gonna lie, y’all, I’m *not* okay with lost time. Loved what Chris Galler (CEO of Minnesota Realtors?) said this summer at a leadership retreat: “The future is the only thing you can change.”  And guess what?  Only I can affect my future.  Time to take a look at the year:

1.    Successfully launched National Code of Ethics Day as a fundraiser for the Realtors? Relief Foundation. Over $40,000 raised across 250+ associations! (NAR.Realtor/RRF)

2.    Won my age group in two different 5Ks. TOTALLY unexpected.

3.    Figured out that we have been using the wrong moniker for real estate.  We, the Realtors?, are the profession. The ‘stuff’ is the industry. It’s apples and oranges and the public needs to understand the difference.  

4.    Launched LB University as an answer to requests for more cradle to grave training from an actual producing Realtor?. It’s also a way to offer my best without giving up more time that is in shortage for me.  (www.LeighBrownU.com)

5.    Successfully held 4 speaker bootcamps to create an opportunity for more amazing people to share their knowledge and expertise with others. The idea sharing and communities created have been the biggest surprise and delight to me. (www.SpeakWithLeigh.com)

6.    Book #2 launched to #1 on Amazon out of the gate (you people are the best).       

7.    Lost some ground (gave up?) in local real estate market share.  Means I did not spend enough energy connecting locally to my buyers and sellers, and that needs to be corrected.

What’s on tap for 2019? Welp.

In preparing my thoughts to write this annual missive, I realized that I haven’t been writing much all year.  Too much video, not enough writing.  That’s not okay with me.  Different forms of expression bring forth different results every time.  

·     Easy enough to solve-it goes on the calendar and in the journal.

Also realized that there hasn’t been enough down time to get focused and creative-and with the creative, the time and discipline to implement the ideas and action. Down time doesn’t mean you’re lying about on a chaise lounge eating bonbons!  It’s a necessity to allow one’s brain to refocus.  

·     Hard to solve. My High-D, Type A wiring means that relaxing is super hard for me.I tend to overschedule myself and take on too many projects for others, leaving myself in last place. I am committed to more blocked time that is free from distraction-meaning at least one day per quarter.

Many of you may have the same issue I have, with a nasty tendency to overlook the good stuff when even one teensy criticism appears (and it doesn’t even matter if it’s warranted or not-I take everything straight in the gut!)  It’s not fixed in me by a long shot but I did find that a pointed effort to find goodness led me to a whole lot less time and energy invested in hatefulness.  

·     In progress. For the first time in my life, I read the whole Bible in 2018 and I’m committed to doing the same thing in 2019.  The answer to ‘Leigh, how do you get it all done?’ truly lies in keeping that daily devotion in its primary position in the morning.

The sheer volume of time I have spent traveling, speaking and in meetings this year has forced me to be on a more limited social media diet.  Boy howdy, has that been fabulous!  I realized how many of my personal relationships had become shortchanged and shallowed by overreliance on technology.  Knowing that we are not promised even another minute, this had to get fixed.

·     Easy to fix, with focus.  In the last quarter of 2018, I scheduled lunches with long-lost friends and had some meaningful conversations that fed my intellect and my soul.  I mailed out bereavement cakes and surprises to people who matter to me and perhaps needed a tangible reminder. I’m tired of Facebook for many reasons, so finding a balance that works better is a 2019 must have.

Keeping going is my boondoggle at times.  How about you?  I posed a question about what’s harder for you: getting started?  Keeping going? Stopping?  Wow.  You’re all as tangled up as I am!  I can tell you this-keeping going is much easier for me when you send me the notes that tell me about improvements and differences that have mattered. I keep and treasure each and every one of them.

·     What to keep going this year? 

o  The speaker bootcamps-just watch what’s going to blossom from this garden in 2019 and beyond! (SpeakWithLeigh.com)

o  The online real estate university-agents need honest and direct advice on how to make real estate work for themselves and their clients and I need to make sure word is out! (LeighBrownU.com)

o  Writing. Book #3 is in infancy and will be a leadership focus.  Ideally, you’ll see it on Amazon by Q3.

o  Helping my fellows understand and embrace political advocacy. The only reason more Realtors? aren’t engaged politically is that they haven’t yet been told the story. I have the story. I’ll tell it and teach others to do the same.  Then? Pass the torch. (RealtorParty.Realtor)

I have to do a better job of encouraging members of my community to trust me with their real estate needs.  My team and I have a deep and abiding desire to provide a real estate experience that is not only professional, but is committed to improvement and personalization. It’s possible that some have forgotten that my team and I are still active Realtors? every day.

·     Easy to correct. It’s about more personal touches and better content that meets the needs of the people buying and selling real estate in my marketplace. Creative and fresh-nothing recycled and nothing templated.  (Much is already in the works-if you want to see it, let me know!) (LeighSells.com)

I change age groups for runners this year.  Some years, that’s a curse and others a blessing!  I’m grateful every day that my body works and allows me to run-and I remind myself of that luxury every time I think of being lazy, since I know there are others who would love to be in my shoes.  One thing that’s never happened for me is a sub-2 hour half marathon.  I’ve run 15 halves (I think), and come pretty close but never there.  I’m fast enough, I’m strong enough….so it must be a mental roadblock.

·     Not sure if it’s hard or easy, but I WILL do this. Will you cheer me on?

In short, I hope you’ll join me on the 2019 journey (and beyond).  I hope you’ll share with me what you’re working on, what your goals are, and how I can be even a footnote in making your story come to life. 

None of us are perfect, but if we get even a smidgen better over time-that’s time well spent.

Love y’all.

Leigh