ONE LESSON

My first few weeks of my career, I was very lost on what I was supposed to be doing each day. I had just left my corporate job out east and moved back into my parents’ home on the south side of Chicago. I was used to a structured corporate system, so having the freedom to do what I wanted was, to say the least, confusing. I was very undisciplined. I would stay up late watching TV and would hit the snooze button multiple times every morning. The worst part of my days was having to face my parents in the kitchen when I finally dragged myself out of bed. I dreaded these encounters as I felt the judgment of getting up when most people had been at work for hours coming down upon me every time I saw them. Finally, after weeks of this, I realized I needed to do something to get on a more consistent schedule or I would never succeed in my new profession.

LESSON LEARNED: No one is going to tell you where to be and when.

Being a real estate agent means you are an independent contractor. You are your own boss, meaning it is up to you how you run your days. Unlike corporate America, where you are told where to be and when, there is no one looking over your shoulder or holding you accountable. This means that you need to be disciplined and structure your day to be the most effective and productive person possible. The best way to do this is to create routines throughout your day. Every agent should have a nighttime, morning, and office routine, and make a priority to stick with them no matter what.