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Perfectionism, Learning F–k Therapy.

December 15, 2008 By

Permission to think your thougths.  That’s what Teri called F–k Therapy, the new book that I’ve got coming out in just about 36 hours.  I’m excited about it because I’m proud of it.  I learned the mechanics of making an e-book with LO Survial guide (buy it because I AM taking it down).  This time, I’m going to learn how to promote it, as I go.  I’m excited about it.

Beyond the kitschy BS that we used to make, Steve and I gave every effort to make some good advice.   And it’s a blast, saying that your basement doesn’t need to look like Brutus Buckeye’s asshole, and making money doing it.  It’s going to be a blast promoting this over the holiday break, and doing what it it takes to sell this thing.  And it’s going to be a blast to do this.

Stay tuned compadres.  More f–king goodness is available.

Also–for those of you that read me, I’m going to give away the 1.0 and 2.0 stuff that gets me more freelance business than I cn handle.  I want to make sure that I keep freelancing alive and kickin’ and thus, in the sidebar is a way to get my e-book.  Yes, I want to build my mailing list, but yes, I also think that permission rented is permission destroyed.  So sign up, especially if you’re a freelancer.

Filed Under: miscellany Tagged With: , , ,

Sidebar Up: Goals and More.

November 30, 2008 By
gdocs

December 1st is tomorrow.  And that’s makes tonight my “new years.”   For 7 years I was in the real estate business.  I watched people piss away the time between Halloween and Christmas in a stupor, going to title company luncheons, builder opens, and other nonsense.   See–there’s a decoupling in Real Estate.  You get paid NOW for the work that you did 2 months ago.  So often, inertia carrys Realtors/LOs through the winter and they coast.

Then January hits and they do 0-1 deals, and the deeals that they do are carryover from December–fallout.

Then Feburary hits and they start to panic.

Well, I’m not in that boat–i’m not a full time practitioner anymore, I still am in the RE cycle.  And i still need business both now and in January.   So, I decided to do something fun:

I’m counting December 1, 2008 as my ‘fiscal year.’  I want to start a month early, while I’m focused and motivated so I hit my goals….starting this month, not wanting to dig a hole is a kludge to make sure I get what I want to get done, done.  I created something in Google Docs to hold myself publicly accountable.  Since I switched from being a Realtor->mortgage broker->freelancer…I needed to do this to make sure I do what I say I’m doing.

I made this scorecard to make sure that I stay on task & on target:

I’ve got 21 planned work days so that generates the calculations that are going to show what pace I’m going to be on/etc.  The workouts that I do will either be ahead or behind because I do one at a time, and that’s OK.   The rest of it tracks me.

It has some oddball goals: to lose 4.5#/week through the holidays is to be fun, and much easier this year…but the way it usually works is that suddenly I find myself 3# lighter, after staying the same weight for 2-3  days.  Anyway, that’s produced the idea that I’ll be losing 63# in December based on the fact that I weighed in on a ‘high’ weight day.  it’ll normalize when time passes and I don’t have extra days.  Still, kind of fun.

In 2009–which starts tomorrow–I’m going to have a good year.  My primary goal is to get myself to 160#.   That’s not going to be easy by any means, but it will certainly happen–of this I have no doubt.  The next goals are to finish the rewrite of Subprime, to get F–therapy up and out, and to have a practice that rakes in $225-250k in consulting fees.  All while continuing to enhance my character and work out my relationship with the Nazerene.  I’ll codify a little bit better tomorrow, at some point.

Right now, I’m overdue on about 400 deadlines cause I was fighting a war maiahost.com  (great company for 1-5 blogs, needs help for more than that).  So extricating 25++ blogs I manage for people to my new host is a PITA.  I can thank Laura for that stuff.

Anyway, as is always the case, more to come.

Filed Under: Achieving Goals, Products, Projects and Process Tagged With: ,

Big Damn 2009 Goal Post, Part 1.

November 22, 2008 By

A lot of times, I’ve written down goals.  It’s a big step, and it’s important.  It’s not something that you do lightly, but in my case, my goals never mattered to me.   Not one day that I was a full time real estate agent did I give a shit.   Not one day that I was a lender did I care.   Oh–let’s be honest.  I’m great at generating leads.  I’m reasonably personable, and reasonably honest (by reasonably honest, that means I’d never let anyone get screwed over).  

I set goals–sell x units, do y in volume.  But I never felt it.  The big ‘so what’ was always behind that.  I couldn’t make myself give a crap about any of it.  Sell another commodity house here in CMH?  Sure.  Happy to serve.  No, really.

I got jazzed about the marketing: doing something that generated leads.  And I had a tsunami of leads.  But I saw myself as a (just) six figure guy, and that’s what I did.  Oh, I sustained a bunch more in ’05, but we all did.  I had the gig from 01 to March of this year.

If I felt I had enough listing appointments, I’d flake out on people, cancelling them.   I only wanted so much work, and I didn’t realize that.  Since I was great at generating leads, I could always pick from the easiest and nicest people to work with.

Each quarter, there I was, netting out what I needed as a Realtor, letting leads and deals rot on the vine.  When leads are abundant, I didn’t value them.  (Hey, kids, they are still abundant).  Rather than work with an asshole it was, “Here, here’s your listing back, sign this mutual release, and I’m out of there.”   I didn’t care, couldn’t care, and still don’t see the anxious need to produce the nothing that makes up a lot of the Real Estate Practice.

Still.  Still there are good reasons to love the business.  The reason I still orbit it is this:  if someone is willing to take a 100% commission job, they value freedom over security.  That must be nurtured, period.  That spark is sacred, and part of the best within the American spirit.  If you can do your job better for them,

Life went on.   I would then pretend I loved the business after being geeked by a MFO event or something like it.  And in lieu of creating what I wanted to (leads), I got stuck as a practitioner.   And I would set goals I couldn’t care about each year.

60 houses.
$350k average price
$550 GCI.
$350k net.
1000 hours prospected.
Etc.

Yawn.  Possible?   Sure.  But money doesn’t lead, it follows.  You don’t start with an income and then build a life around it.   To maintain it, I had to ingest so much poison I almost became that guy.   And I didn’t have the right ethos then to really get after it.  I didn’t have acute needs, till the IRS gave me the Rodney King treatment, I was coasting, if that.   I didn’t love what I was doing.  And that’s a way to waste your life.

Not saying you can’t.   Not saying it’s not possible, but I ratcheted it all down to mere numbers.  Numbers do matter, but only when you’re chasing something that also drives you.   Right now, i’m driven to write, driven to lose weight, driven to help people get efficient, and I’m driven to get out of debt.   I’m carrying a net worth of roughly -$65,000 that I want GONE.  Money comes easily enough for me.  I don’t need to make that the end all/be all.   I want to make Right Right now into a practice of some sort.  A couple people asked what my BIG DAMN GOALS were:

  1. I will weigh in at 175# before March 1st 2009. My ultimate goal is 159#, but I won’t be thinking about that for a bit. I want to think about all the milestones I need to pass through first.  Friends, that’ll put the total weight loss at 97#.  That’s a gymnast.  I’ve already lost a bunch.  Only standard is to get to 175#.
  2. Next E-book, f-therapy, does 10,000 units. I’m getting it started (this is the first time I’ve talked about it) at http://f–ktherapy.com  It’s a strident treatise about uncluttering your life, your mind, and ignoring the toxicity of our society.
  3. I will get “subprime” published and collect an advance of $50,000 or more. Again, I’m already stacking the deck in my favor.  The quality of the writing & insight matters, but I’m making it such that I’ll get the most receptive audience possible.   I don’t know if it’s a meritocracy or not, but if it’s not, that benefits me as I like to win, and I’m competing to win right now.  I stack the deck with stuff that makes it hard to ignore me.  Just watch.
  4. To be debt free in 500 days. I have my debt pegged at $65,000, most of it being the IRS’s suff.   It might be a little less, and I’ll tabulate it next weekend.   My budget/burn rate is something like $2500/month.   Gross THAT up for taxes, and I’m at an income need of $4,000.    365/500 =73%.   73% of $65,000  = ~47,450.   Gross THAT up by 30% for taxes = $62k.   Divide that by 12, and we’re at: 5200 month for debt retirement.   Add that to $4,000 and we have a need (without savings) of 9200/month.  This puts me at 108,000 for the year, a number I can hit in my sleep, doing this stuff.

That’s pretty much what matters.   I put a $$ on the advance because I want to have it taken reasonably seriously–I’m not necessarily going to just take the first person to write that check, I’m going to make it have the best chance at a real live widespread audience.   I know times is hard.   I don’t want to be in a ‘need the money,’ point in my life.  And I won’t be.

A lot of other things are ‘nice to do’ next year:  I wanna read about 100 books, 40 fiction/60 nonfiction.   I want to run a 3:30 marathon.   And to make $108k, I’ll need to divide my income somehow–ebooks aren’t a ‘guarantee’–I need to pursue the courses that I have taught, and the rest of the stuff that I regularly do.  I think that if I rely on the consulting gigs for the income and make everything else ‘fun,’ we’ll be juuuuuuuust fine.

I have to rewrite it fully (or therabouts, there are great scenes) by Feb 1, 2009, choose the best representation by 6/1/09…and catch lightning in a bottle.  I can do ll this stuff, things like this always happen quickly for me.  Someone next year will sell a breakout debut novel, lose a ton of weight, and do a kicking e-book.   Why not me?

Dashboard comes up tomorrow.

Filed Under: Achieving Goals Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Power Of Loose Ties, Longterm Networking.

May 21, 2008 By

For a long time, I’ve been blogging.  I’ve followed and been followed by thousands of people off and on (had I the ephiphany that I’ve had today, baby, I’d have EVERYONE OF YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES).   And I learned something.  Even people that you used to follow are dimly aware of you 2 years after you stop.

I haven’t been on LiveJournal.Com in more than 2 years.

I haven’t posted updates, been part of the comunities (though a Realtor could do really well on communities like columbus.livejournal.com).

At one point, I followed http://voicetrack.livejournal.com.

I pinged him the other day to see if he’d do an open to my SurvivalCast (which is live and permanent starting tomorrow…I’m 3 weeks ahead of schedule), and what he’d charge.   He gave me the best price of all, and recorded 10-12 takes of my 2 sentences.  He had takes with both the gravatas of a 1940 news anchor to the Mirth of Harry Chapin’s “mornin’ DJ”.   What fun he was!

[audio:http://genuinechris.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/survivalopen-mp3.mp3]

Anyway, there are tons of people that are in my network, that can do nifty things.  Not everyone would do it free, some would.  But a big network of loosely connected people is pretty valuable.  I have helped 5-6 people set up WP blogs, I’ve made introductions, and had a blast with this stuff.

And I’m taking it AS far as I possibly can.

Filed Under: miscellany Tagged With: , ,

8 Things You Can Do To Prevent Career Obsolecence In Real Estate

December 2, 2007 By

It’s Getting Worse. It’s All a Matter of Degree.

Every time my attention is called to a post like this, I get a confused. Realtors are sitting together in some sort of lunatic echo chamber reassuring people that things aren’t as bad. They point to innacuracies in the media, however small, and say “Gotcha, the sky is not falling.”

Meanwhile, we see a trade association that is doing everything it can to make sure it’s members don’t know the truth, don’t have to react to the truth, and are obsolete. If renting is cheaper than owning, why own an asset that’s currently depreciating? Do they think we’re six? And then Realtors cling to antique information without being ready to face reality.

OK, OK What Can a Realtor or Mortgage Guy Do?

Well, there will be people that want hearth and home and want to pay for it. That’s a reasonable choice. The best neighborhoods are more available to renters than owners, and even if there is a loss of equity, quality of life may be better than in a rental. That is what we’re selling right now. We’re in the “appreciation” mode, and that’s not where we should be. People are natural consumers.

Acknowledge the problems with the market–and it’s true that people aren’t buying at the peak prices we saw in 2005, the prices will continue to go down, and the advantages the trade associations have enjoyed will be shrunk. That doesn’t mean people with a give/serve first mentality can’ win.

  1. Average fee will go down: So focus your operation on low cost, and try to get more deals. This might mean that you get rid of some services, but the key to focus on is efficiency. Can you make a living if your average fee is down to 35%.
  2. Your business requires units more than anything. Focus on as many units as possible. If you did 40-80 units last year, assume you have to double it.
  3. Don’t be attached to one deal. A lot of Realtors and Brokers would have one giant deal a quarter, or three a quarter. Don’t ever be in posiion if of having one deal make your quarter. 20-25 deals/quarter not 5-8.
  4. Over document: for a number of reasons, if you can become unconsciously competent at documenting things–at sharing information, and at having procedures, your business will have much less resistance. You will have to have systems in place.
  5. Focus on less work, more service. If you have a workflow that makes sense, is uniform, that you can get good at, the client benefits from increased information. The way that we communicate is important. Focus on emails in the morning to enhance efficiency.
  6. Have lots and lots of leads all the time. Don’t settle for the leads that will make you have a good month. Have 10-15-20 viable, closable leads.
  7. Don’t take the holidays off. Traditionally, Real Estate Agents wandered off from October 20th for the end fo the year. LOTS of business can get done in December, in January, all throughout the year.
  8. The bonus: ALWAYS ALWAYS BE LEARNING if it’s learning WordPress, or whatever keep learning, on purpose. 20% of your professional time is spent learning, 20% pursuing your muse, and 20% improving your processes, and 40% doing your job. Keep learning, consider education, part of your job description.
Filed Under: Start Here Tagged With: , , , , ,

Lesson #1 from Joe Paterno: “Potential Ain’t Worth S#!t.”

September 24, 2007 By
joepa-sidebar

[Note: Joe Paterno wasn't a great example of whatever. I'm sorry I mentioned him, as he  was a cultural reference.]

Joe Paterno is credited with saying that about a linebacker he took a pass on….according to legend, JoePA didn’t see him as a worker. And, apparently, JoePa was right because the dude had physical skills but became a Juco washout. (Note: I originally heard that story at one of the Mike Ferry events I attended, and it seems to fit with the rest of the stuff I learned about Joe.  However, Mike has a habit of…well, not telling the truth.)

Joe’s right. Potential Ain’t Worth Shit.

Let’s take another example. Penny Hardaway and Michael Jordan were both supremely gifted athletes. Both could do AMAZING things with the basketball. Both had massive injuries… early in their career. One was a coach killer, one was “That rarest of all–the supremely talented over achiever.” Michael outworked absolutely everyone around him on his way to 6 championships. Penny blamed his coach, his teammates….and wound up pissing away more talent than 99.9997% of the people that have ever competed in game of basketball.

Potential Ain’t Worth Shit.

I have always been–everywhere–earmarked for great things. From kindergarten on, it’s been expected of me that I’d climb/rise. until now–I’ve never really been on the path to do much with my life. Mostly because I’ve been committed to being uncommitted. I’ve fed my ego with the idea that if it’s not this…it’d be something else that I could do.

When I was a Realtor, I was “too good” to be a Realtor. I was not one of them. I was above them, and I won awards, but it was an easy job “a monkey could do.” Yes, I had a built in excuse not to sell out for my job. I was in the top 5%, making an easy six figures every full year I was in it–but everyone was shocked that I didn’t get into that top 1% area (which makes fringe pro athlete dough), and further shocked when I limped out of the business, fatter and burnt out.

Now I sell mortgages, my job has been a “stepping stone” merely for me to coach, to train, to start my own company. I never fully engaged myself in what I was doing…so I’ve had a built in out any time I wanted one. I’m not just “some lame-o mortgage broker…” I’m a future business owner, and why should I engage my considerable talents on this business?

When I was at GW, I was graduating in a year, regardless, so I never applied myself.

When I was at Otterbein , I was getting ready to transfer to GW, so I didn’t have to work that hard.

When I was in the Army Reserve, that wasn’t going to be my career.

Now that I’m fat, I comfort myself with the fact that I’ve been here before, taken the weight off before, and any time I really want to, things will be OK.

We all have built in excuses to fail, to screw up. Our parents to and peers were let us off the hook. In our culture, nothing is ever “our fault.” Now, I’m 31, and I’ve never t hit on all cylinders for very long. I’ve had myself committed to being uncommitted. That way, I never measure myself against anyone.

Most people are Just resting on Imaginary Laurels!
That’s all it is, man, and people do it all the time. You have to earn the position you’re in day by day, moment by moment. You’ve gotta engage yourself, to see how far you can go. Accept the fact that you’re always gonna have people left that are luckier, smarter, richer, more equipped than you. Get over that–let your ego go, and then spend the time maimizing YOUR talent.

“And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required” Luke 12:48

If you’re reading this, you’re in the “much is given category.” You’ve got intellect, you understand a lot. You’re going to either make ultimate use of your talents…or you’re going to waste them. Your ego can be a bitch. It’s easier–mentally–to be disengaged from your life, to wear the “gen-x” slacker/underachiever mantle. It’s easier to scoff at people.

When I was a Realtor, I heard the most astonishing comment as I was separating myself from the people in the Bullpen by having results…”If all I did was sell houses all day, I’d have 4 listings, too.” All that she did was order pizza, and that’s why she beat me to 250 pounds…

I’m not saying be a workaholic. What I’m saying is that in your job, when you work 40 hours, put a passionate 40 hours in. Be engaged in–and committed to–what you’re doing. When you’re with your family, ENGAGE. If you’re going to do something, do it balls out…to the best of your ability.

Don’t Scoff, Don’t Pretend important things don’t matter.

It’s the way of our world to scoff and sneer. It’s WAY easier than it is to really get after it. It’s way easier mentally to make excuses, but it’s never the right way to do things.

My life is my fault, and my creation. I’ve been given a certain amount of ability, but why blame others for the things that are wrong?

It’s my fault that I’m fat.

It’s my fault I’ve never had a book published.

It’s my fault that I’m not a millionaire.

It’s my fault that I’ve never accumulated wealth (or given any money to any noble pursuits).

It’s also…

It’s my fault that I don’t live in a trailer park.

It’s my fault that I have the skills and ethos…needed to earn 6 figures instantly and in any city in America.

We have been given an awesome freedom to create an awesome life for ourselves. To let our ego con us into thinking that we “could have what they have” if we don’t “do what they do,” is vain delusion. It’s easier to scoff at the successes of others than it is to succeed yourself. That’s ego, too.

SO….

  1. What areas in your life do you let yourself off the hook in?
  2. What mental crutches are holding you back?
  3. What is your best?
  4. How often do you get the adrenaline that comes from having done a GREAT job?
  5. Are you working in your dream field? Working towards working in your dream field?
  6. Or working on excuses to let yourself off the hook?
Filed Under: Achieving Goals, Start Here Tagged With: , , , , ,