Five years ago, I decided that I would make ONE resolution at the beginning of the year. A resolution that would be life-changing and something that would make me a better person. It takes 66 days to form a habit, so I figure if I make it to the ides of March, I’m good.
Prior to that year, I had developed a reputation for being tardy. So tardy, in fact, that one of my clients bought me a watch as a gift as a not-so-subtle hint that I needed to get my act together and be on time. Being late is disrespectful, generally inexcusable, and shows a lack of professionalism and discipline. My lateness wasn’t because I was any of those things, but that’s what it communicated. Perception is reality. That year, I committed to being punctual, and ever since I made that resolution, my on-time percentage has been high, and my stress level has been lower. Ironically, now it pisses me off when people consistently saunter into meetings late.
Last year, I set a goal to read 50 books a year. I think I achieved the goal (I stopped counting at 30), if I include Kevin Hart’s audiobook “You Can’t make this shit up” and the comic book Ray Dalio sent me on “Principles for Success”. Almost every book I read last year was a five-star book. I have the luxury of getting excellent recommendations from my wife (the most well-read person on the planet and the person who knows exactly what I like) and Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett who publish their recommendations.
Much of the time we spend in the field of Real Estate is reactive. We attend meetings that go on way too long, we incessantly respond to emails, calls, and texts from clients, we put out fires, and it feels like we are in a constant state of triage. This grind is essential to the job, but death to creativity. And creativity is the lifeblood of success in this business. This year, my resolution is to take control of my flow of creativity by allowing myself the freedom to jam. I have made a commitment to myself to create” structured time for unstructured thinking”.
I presented this theory in a TEDx talk recently in Hartford. It’s around ten minutes long and covers the concept. Click the photo below to watch, I’d love to hear your thoughts.