Goldwasser Institute

Wow, it has really been to long. Sorry, I lost my password to get on my blog and I have just been lazy…I’m back though! I thought I would share with you my life plan as I am just updating it. I first learned about a life plan in 2004 at a John Maxwell event and I immediately implemented it in my life. Basically what you do is you write out your personal mission, your eulogy (how you want to be remebered), and then you figure out your top 5 values. With each value you create a clarifying vision statement of what you aspire to in that particular value over the course of your life. You then take your life and push it out 20 years (yes 20 years!) and create a story or vision of what you want your life to look like in that particular area. Then finally you create action steps that you can take immediately in your life to start realizing the vision that you want. After you have created it, you then laminate it and keep a copy in your car, in your closet, in your shower and anywhere that you will pick it up and look at it constantly. It is an awesome tool. Basically you are writing your life story and then making it happen…you dig? I am still re-working my plan but I wanted to post this immediately for you all. Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.

 

Chad Goldwasser Life PlanJune 29^th, 2009

 Chad’s Personal Mission Statement

I will live my life to be a servant to others. I will always strive to have fun, to grow spiritually, to make money, to learn something new and to build relationships every day. I will work to practice humility in my dealings with every person. I will take care of my family no matter what. I will remain cool, calm and collected regardless of the circumstances. I will keep myself physically fit and mentally challenged so that I can make positive contribution to the lives of others my entire life, especially my family. I will live my life in such a way that my family will be proud of me as a person. I will strive to be the person God created me to be. I will continue to discover my dreams and do what I can to:

·         Stay on purpose in my life

·         Grow to reach my maximum potential, and

·         Sow seeds that benefit others.

 My Values

·         Tara and Children

·         Personal growth

·         Career

·         God

·         Health

·         Family 

How I Want to Be Remembered

Chad Goldwasser was a phenomenal leader. He was learning all of his life. Up until his very last day he was growing and changing and working to become the absolute best person he could be. However, he never took himself too seriously, and he was always full of humor, energy and fun. His most important priority was always his family and he loved them unconditionally. He was always creating positive memories with people and making sure that they knew how special they were to him. He led a very active life and continued racing and training his body up until his last days. He was a servant who truly cared about people and poured himself into those that needed him most. His passion for his life and mission was so evident through his enthusiastic and always positive attitude. He liked to accomplish things, especially with a team. He had his flaws, just as we all do and he realized it. He focused on his strengths and became dedicated to raising his abilities in his strength-zones, and he helped others do the same. He was always focused on improving his relationship with God. Chad lived his life with transparency. His life was an example of his definition of success. Success to Chad was knowing his purpose, growing to reach his maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others. He will he celebrated and remembered fondly.

 Family: Tara, Mason, Aden and Samantha

Clarifying vision statement: Family

My life is devoted to being an absolutely great father to my children and developing a strong friendship with them. I will be my wife’s strongest supporter; I will always be her best friend and build a strong trusting respectful relationship for the rest of our lives

What I see

·         I am at age 56 and living an incredibly rich and full life. My relationship with my children is strong. Mason is 28, Aden is 26 and Samantha is 23. During their lives so far I have focused on being their friend without pushing myself on them. They share many of my same interests and we still take many trips together. One of those trips is always to go biking or other adventures. Sometimes we go to Moab and other times we stray and venture out. Wherever we go, we always have a great time together and share a lot about their hopes and dreams as well as mine. They are all incredible leaders in their own right and I love learning from them. We have created many strong memories and traditions together. My children look at me as a model of success and integrity. They understand that I have committed my life to growing as a person, and to being a leader and a lifter of people. I have seen the impact my leadership has had on them and it seems that they are modeling their lives after both Tara’s and mine. They will always know how much I love them and how proud I am of them.

·         Tara and I have been married for 31 years. We have known each other for 45 years of our life. We have a strong relationship and respect each other greatly. We have gone through many ups and downs, but early on we committed to always working together to get through anything, and we have. We have had many great times and built many great memories with our family. At this point we have traveled all over the world. We built a very strong and successful life based on our values and our beliefs. We committed a long time ago to growing together and we have done that. We have devoted our lives to helping others. We set the bar very high for ourselves because we believe that we can do anything together. We both committed to being strong models of how to live a good life free of envy, jealousy, negative feelings, and need of things. We are each other’s best friends and we respect each other greatly.

Steps I will take:

·         Truly talk to my wife uninterrupted 20 minutes per night

·         Send my wife flowers or a gift  telling her I love her and respect her once a month

·         I will tell her she is my best friend and that I respect her daily

·         I will encourage all of her dreams

·         I will take my kids on one family vacation per year

·         I will make Thursday nights and Saturdays total family time.

·         Our Saturday mornings will be our fun time, like the time I spent with my father

·         I will take them on special dates regularily

·         I will always carve out family time first

 Personal Growth

Clarifying vision statement: Personal growth

I will devote my life to filling my mind, body, and soul with thoughts to help me build strong relationships. I will fill myself with wisdom (through books, tapes, and seminars), so that as I get older I may teach others, and live my purpose of positively impacting the lives of millions of people worldwide.

What I see

Since my mid-20s I realized how important it was for me to grow as a leader. Now at 56 I have over 29 years focused on filling my mind with thoughts that have made me a better person. I realized early that the only way to change the world was to change myself. I put myself on a very strict planned out, committed growth plan and that has made all the difference. I am absolutely a product of the books I’ve read, the people I have surrounded myself with, the seminars I have attended and my absolute dedication to thinking on the right things. Through my business I have been able to teach others, and that has allowed me to grow even more. I am still, however, light hearted, fun and full of humor. My growth has been consistent and committed. I still have a lot to learn.

Steps I will take:

• I will spend two mornings from 7-9 a.m. at the office thinking and planning

• I will read 45 minutes (at least) daily

• I will write daily

• I will spend 25 weeks with winning with people and 25 weeks with people practices

• I will attend four growth workshops per year

 Career

Clarifying vision statement: Career

I will build a strong company guided by our core values and beliefs. Our company will benefit everyone touched by it. I will always remember that I’m working to live and not living to work.

What I see

At age 56 my dedication and commitment to leadership and growth have paid off big time. My real estate company is now run by an amazing team that has been with me for more than 25 years. I am still involved in that company, but only for vision casting, leadership and motivation. Everything is run by strong systems and the leaders that have built them. My focus on reading and leadership development has filled me with good information and thoughts which I am able to convey and teach to millions of people through motivational teaching, training, and writing. Our real estate company has become legendary in America and around the world for our total focus on serving our clients. Our agents are the most elite in the business and our name is associated with the greatest service companies in the world. My teaching and training company has over 150 employees that are all a focused team working together to positively impact the lives of everyone we touch, we are changing lives. My companies run like a well oiled machine because of our dedication to teamwork, which allows me at this point in my life to focus in my career on the areas that are my absolute strengths:

·         My Thinking·         My Writing·         My Communicating·         My Leadership

Steps I will take:

• I will work hard to continue to implement Topgrading and attracting great leaders

• I will continue to teach and train and grow as a speaker and writer

• We will continue to clearly articulate our vision, mission, purpose and values

• I will always hire the best consultants

 God and Spiritual Life

Clarifying vision statement: God and Spiritual life

I will continue to develop a strong relationship with God. I will continue to learn and grow in my faith at all times. I will let go of my old feelings towards faith and God. I will make sure to honor God in all that I do.

What I see

My relationship with God has grown a lot over the years. For a long time it was hard for me to let him in. I know that there is a lot to learn from the teaching of the Bible and I have been committed to working on and learning from that. I still have a long way to go, but my family has helped me commit to our faith and grow together with God in our life. I have realized that my time on earth is only a short time and eternity is what I must live for. I realize I will he tested throughout my life and my responses to those tests will become the strength of my character. My character and integrity will be the strongest aspects of my life because of my relationship with God.

 Steps I will take:

·         Will work every day to let go of my old feelings

·         I will study from the Bible daily 10 to 20 minutes

·         I will find a church that I feel I can grow at

·         I will keep God with me at all times

·         I will give 10% of my income to worthy causes and the church

 Health

Clarifying vision statement: Health

I will continue to focus on my health and exercise regimen. Staying healthy will allow inc to live a long, happy, and prosperous life full of energy. My health will allow me to reach my maximum potential.

 What I see

My health has always been important to me. For the past 30 years I have followed a healthy lifestyle because it gives me energy. I love to bike, run, and swim and any other fun challenging activity. When I was in my 30s I started racing and I haven’t stopped. I have maintained a weight of 160-170 for all my life. I’ve always been focused on eating healthy, visiting my doctor yearly and making sure that health is one or my top priorities. My health has made a huge difference in my life.

Steps I will take:

·         I work out Monday through Friday at 5:30 a.m.

·         I race four times per year no matter what

·         I will he very strict, but also realistic about what I eat

·         I will do nothing to excess

 My Extended Family

Clarifying vision statement: Family

I will always develop strong, healthy relationships and friendships with the people that are closest to me. My extended family not only includes all my relatives, but also the people who are building their lives with me.

What I see

I’ve been blessed with a great family of people to surround me. I have made sure that I am the catalyst for keeping in touch with my brothers and the rest of my extended family. I will make sure to always honor them and let them know how much they mean to me. I will always support them and welcome them into my home. I will love them unconditionally throughout my life as they have loved me. My upbringing and my family have made a great impact on my life. I have developed deep and strong healthy relationships with all the people that have decided they want strong and healthy relationships with me. I always encouraged the dreams of my family and never let anything stand in the way of our relationship.

Steps I will take:

·         I will call my mom on a weekly basis

·         I will call my brothers often

·         I will visit Minnesota one time per year and spend one week there (eventually we will buy a home on the lake there)

·         I will always remember birthdays of all of my family and I will send them something

Responsiveness and responsibility.

As a team member at Goldwasser Real Estate we understand that speed of response is the number one reason that a buyer chose’s an agent from the internet. The truth is WE KNOW that no matter where a prospective client comes, whether that be the internet, a sign call, a past client referral, an SOI referral!!! or an open house from that if we respond to them immediately that we will get the business. Delivering the highest level of service to our clients means that we respond immediately to their needs, questions and concerns.

Have you ever been in a situation where you called someone for a service and you did not hear back from them for several hours or several days? How do you feel about that company or person? Not very good is the way I normally feel. As a matter of fact, when I do not hear back from someone almost immediately I tend to look for someone else to provide the same service that may be more responsive.

Being responsive is the responsible way to be. As a company, we need to respond to our clients faster and with more enthusiasm than any other company out there; it is one of the key differentiators that helps us stand out.

An acquaintance of mine told me a story recently where they had made several requests to a specific business and they never heard back from one specific person within that company. It was an opportunity to build a relationship that could have been very lucrative, and the company that failed to respond was actually a great service organization, but because of one persons lack of responsiveness (they never actually did respond) the person had a negative viewpoint and decided to take their business as well as any referrals elsewhere. Because of one persons lack of responsiveness a company’s reputation was damaged seriously.

In this economy, we cannot allow this to happen to us. Our ability to respond and take responsibility for our positions and our reputation are crucial. One person can cost us thousands of dollars in lost revenue, and this we cannot afford.

We take this more seriously than most and that is why we are so much more successful than others. Taking our service to the next level means we respond quickly to our people, we never allow a red light to stay on a phone, we check our messages and our emails and answer our clients concerns quickly. Our livelihood depends on it.

You all are on a roll right now and we are moving to the next level! We are strong! We are powerful! We are motivated! We are servants! We love what we do and we believe in ourselves and our mission to provide revolutionary value and innovation to buyers and sellers of residential real estate!

WE ARE TAKING OVER!

“Extend thoughts of kindness everywhere. Practice kindness toward Earth by picking up a piece of litter that is on your path, or saying a silent prayer of gratitude for the existence of rain, the color of flowers, or even the paper that you hold in your hand that was donated by a tree. The universe responds in kind to what you radiate outward. If you say with kindness in your voice and in your heart, “How may I serve you?” the universes response will be “How may I serve you as well?” It’s attractor energy. It’s the spirit of the cooperation with all of life that emerges from the essence of intention.”

                                                                     Dr. Wayne Dyer, The Power of Intention

I love the first words of this quote-“Extend kindness everywhere.” That is a very simple instruction, but as most of life it is not always easy is it? To extend kindness everywhere in the midst of our hectic and challenging lives can be tough, but it can be achieved if we just work hard at it.

Nothing in life worth having comes easy, but the instructions are mostly simple. The instruction of extending thoughts of kindness everywhere is simple. Just start practicing it today. If you find yourself driving in traffic and someone needs to get in-let them in. If you find yourself at the toll booth and someone is behind you-pay their toll too. If you see a teammate that is in need of some kind words-encourage them. Tell your wife you love her and she is beautiful, thank your mom for giving you life, let your kids know you are proud of them, pick up the piece of trash you see in the street instead of walking by, do more than your boss asks you too, help a friend…there are so many thing we can do to extend kindness everywhere, all we have to do is keep it top of mind. So just for today, practice this one simple step and you will make the world a better place. We are kind loving people, and we are doing our part to make a positive impact on the world.

Your servant hearted and kindness spreading friend…cg

“To excel means to reach beyond the best you have ever given because doing so matters to you personally, for its own sake. It means to run your own race-as an individual, team or organization. To excel is to know your greatest strengths and passions, and to emphasize them while honestly admitting and managing your weaknesses.”

Robert K Cooper

Reaching beyond the best you have ever given, this is so key right now. Our company is growing and changing and realizing new heights, and it is important for us in this new economy to never stop striving for the best that we can do. We are in challenging economic times and this may be the hardest time that our country has ever seen in terms of stress on people, and a lot of us are feeling it. I have spoken to so many people in the past weeks that are seeing the challenges up close and personal. Maybe you are feeling this way yourself, if so here are some words and ideas that I hope will encourage you to continue reaching for your best.

1. Help others-There is no better way to improve your own feelings of self worth than to help others. Whether this be your family, your friends, your teammates, your clients or your community. The more you give of yourself without expecting anything in return, the more you will feel awake and alive and good about yourself. Say a kind word to someone today, it is as easy as that.

2. Improve yourself-Striving to reach beyond the best you have ever given means you must be growing. What are you doing to grow on a daily basis? What are you doing to stimulate your mind and make yourself more valuable? Read, listen to personal growth CD’s, attend a class or seminar, do something each day to move your mind in a positive direction and strengthen yourself.

3. Live with an attitude of gratitude-We have so much to be thankful for in our lives if we just look around and keep focused on the positive. Sometimes it is as simple as a cup of coffee in the morning, a child’s smiling face, or whatever it is that makes you happy. Do not remove yourself from the reality of life, but do keep focused on the good, there is so much of it. I want you and this company to strive and grown and become the best in the world, because it is what is right and good.

I want us to positively impact the lives of millions of people worldwide and we can do that, we are doing that! It is because of you. I want the best for all of you, and I want you all to be happy and having fun. Utilize these thoughts today and take a step in the right direction.

We love you all, thank you for supporting us.

cg

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

                                                                John Wooden-Legendary Coach/UCLA Bruins

I am proud of who I am, and I truly believe that I am one of the best in the world at what I do. Deeply in my heart and soul I believe that I am the best at what I do. I believe that I am no better than anyone else….

There is silliness to that statement above, but also a very real truth that I want to convey. I love people, I love all people and I believe that there is good in all people. I will never hold myself above or below anyone on this Earth and I think it important as we start to see more and more success within our lives that we are genuinely humble and yet still charismatic, energetic, and fun to be around. And proud…but humble, fine line.

I spoke with a friend of mine the other day that reminded me that we have to never come off as to elitist, to bold, to brash, to conceited. She told me that she had lunch with a friend and that friend was conveying some ideas to her about our company that I never want people to think. That person she had lunch with said that at a recent event that a lot of our people were there and they are very proud of who we are and what we do, but that it was coming off as “We think we are the best in the world and you should join us right away or you are a dummy”. Not in so many words but sort of that way. She said that some of our people seemed fake. Misconception, jealousy, ignorance-whatever it was, perception is reality and we must be very careful that we stay humble and real out there in the public eye.

Now this is funny coming from me, because sometimes I am totally un-humble and I realize that it is something I must work on every single day. I can be seen as cocky…around the office especially. Hopefully it is seen for what it is-me being a bit of a goofball, me doing what I need to do to motivate and push and me just being me. I am a genuine person who is looking to grow and get better, and I do not believe that I am above anyone else out there, I am just a person that needs love, praise, and to be fulfilled in what I am doing. With that said here are my ideas to stay humble and not come across as arrogant or elitist:

1.       Believe strongly in the good of others-Every person that you meet is good. They are human. Just like you and I, they have doubts, fears, pressures, anxieties and they also have beliefs, ideas, thoughts, dreams, and passions that are important to them. All people have goodness within themselves and they are looking for acceptance. Treat them like absolute gold! Want to lead a more fulfilling life? Be the kind of person that people love to be around because of the way you treat them, be a lifter, someone that lifts others up just by being there.   John Maxwell says, “Put a 10 on people’s heads.” What he means by that is always believe the best in others, believe they are a 10 even if they are not right now. Maybe you will even believe in them more than they believe in themselves, which is a good thing, it may help them to realize their potential.

2.       Learn something from everyone-Please always be teachable and understand that you never know everything. I find that by opening myself up to others and their ideas that I learn so much. People’s ideas are what move this world forward and we all have good ideas. Stay open to people’s point of view and you will grow and learn. Make a lifelong commitment to learning, growing and changing.

3.       Listen more than you talk-I cannot wait till I get this one down! We all love to talk, and mostly about ourselves. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. If you can master the art of becoming a good listener, people will love you. You should always practice this skill, in the office, at parties, in your home; really work on being a great-FOCUSED-listener. Do not cut people off; give them the full floor until they are finished. When you dominate conversation people will not want to talk with you, when you become a great listener people will love you. And finally…

 4.       Look people in the eye-When you look people in the eye they will trust you more. If you cannot look someone in the eye, or if you are shifty and look down a lot, people tend not to trust you. our eyes are the windows to our souls, and if our soul is good and positive and loving, our eyes and eye contact will show that.   

I am proud of who I am, and I truly believe that I am one of the best in the world at what I do. Deeply in my heart and soul I believe that I am the best at what I do. I believe that I am no better than anyone else….

I am no better than anyone else, I am just different. I never want to come across as conceited or cocky, I want people to know that I genuinely care and that my life purpose is to build and lift others. I love people, all people and I am going to do better today to not judge but to love others and continue to work on being humble. You too?

Make it an incredible day!    cg

Steps to take to help our business, our economy, and our lives thrive.

If you did not read the paper today, good. If you did you may have noticed that there were major layoffs announced by several big companies, 50,000 job cuts to be exact. Also, yesterday I was interviewed by K-EYE TV for a story about Mercedes Homes, a large builder, who just announced yesterday that they are filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It is a tough deal to lose your job in the current times. I think that there are ways to insure that we do not see these types of challenges in our own company and in our own businesses. I have some thoughts that I am focusing on to continue to thrive right now and help our business to grow. If you know of anyone that is in fear of losing their job you might share these tips with them as well and please take them to heart yourself and push yourself to your highest level:

1.      Work harder than you ever have in your life: I know this seems like a simple idea, but I think we should ask ourselves, “Am I giving everything I have to my role?” In tough economic times companies will hang on to those people that show great discipline and ownership of their position. Are you showing up to your job and appointments on time? Are you staying productive and getting your job done? Do you make sure that you are double checking yourself and calling all of your clients when you should? Are you staying away from whining and complaining? Are you getting better every day? Those are the questions you should be asking yourself. Now more than ever we need to work hard, and prove our worth. For me it is about prospecting, service and leadership. I have had to stay later, work sometimes 7 days a week, and do other things that I would rather not, but it is essential right now. Are you working as hard as you can?

2.      Serve harder than you ever have in your life: What is your definition of great service? What can you do to make the experience of your clients better? Our goal as a company is to deliver Nordstrom’s type service, what does that mean? It means we are in constant communication with our clients and that we do it in a positive energetic way. Every time we talk to them we lift them up with our attitude and our smile. We keep our flyer boxes full, our paperwork is immaculate, our files are organized, our database is complete, we keep our clients up to date on all aspects of their home sale, and we touch base with them every single week, if just to say hello and let them know we are thinking of them. This is just the beginning, this is the minimum, and what will you do to go over the top? Give out some basketball tickets, send a personal note with an article of interest, offer to do something extraordinary? Now more than ever we must serve our clients harder than we ever have and we must sustain and build upon that service.

3.      Focus on the positive harder than you ever have in your life: Are you making a positive impact in the office and in your own life or not? Do you gossip and complain about how bad things are? Or do you rejoice and speak positive things about your life? Have you ever noticed how when you are having a great day you smile more, you are more energetic, you feel better, and people like to be around you? The opposite is also true. If you are a negative person, coming into the office with a bad attitude, complaining about being sick, complaining about your clients, complaining about your workload, your lack of money, complaining about anything, it can annoy the people around you. If you find yourself acting this way, turn it around. Stop yourself and think about how lucky you are to have an opportunity to be alive and working in a time where many people are not. FOCUS HARD ON WHAT IS POSITIVE! It will make you more valuable to your company and your clients.

 Take this message to heart. This “new economy” is going to push us all to be better than we ever have. If you are not focused on these three ideas I have discussed, take some time and ask yourself why? If you can give everything you have to your role and become the most valuable agent, transaction manager, inside salesperson, courier, accountant, CEO, COO, CFO, sales manager, director of first impressions, office manager, our company will rise higher, and your career will soar farther than you could ever imagine. Our time is now. Let’s do it together! There are no limits! I love you guys…

Have you ever just been on fire? Do you ever feel like everything great is just happening and going your way? Do you feel a wave of positive momentum and energy in your life?

There are some of you out there right now reading this, saying to yourself, “That’s me! I am on a roll.”  Others may not relate. You may be in a nasty place, angered by the current state of your life, complaining, mad and just downright not feeling productive. Not living to your full potential. Blaming your circumstances on others. Look only in the mirror for answers.

Are you interested in creating an avalanche of positivity that will take you to the next level? I know you are, here are three key ideas for you to get you on a positive roll:

1.       Get active!-If you did what most other Americans did over the past month you are just finally starting to wake up out of your holiday haze. Get active. In your business, start making phone calls-talking to clients, prospects, your friends, family and anyone that will help you to do more business this year. In your health, start eating better and getting some exercise. A good strong exercise regimen will change every aspect of your life for the better. Pay attention to your health, it matters.

2.       Change your mind-Start thinking and saying that you are the best at what you do. Get rid of those ugly, nasty thoughts that we all battle, and start replacing them with great, upbeat thoughts. Quit gossiping, complaining, whining and getting down on yourself and others.

3.       Serve people-Take your service level to new heights. Call your clients, implement your client connection plan, network, and spread the word about what you do to everyone and their mother. Be a shameless self-promoter and tell people that you are in need of the business. If you just sit around and hope a lead comes your way it will not happen. If you are in the operations world, are you smiling every time you pick up the phone? Are you owning your position and striving to grow in your position every day? If not, start thinking to yourself every day this thought: What can I do better today? Then keep that one thing in mind all day.

Goldwasser Real Estate is on a roll right now. We are making things happen. We are living our mission and becoming our vision every single day. We are transforming the real estate industry before our very eyes. Let’s all get on a roll and make it happen!

Successful people, like successful businesses, live with these questions:”How can I improve the quality of my performance? How can I do better?”

“Big success calls for persons who continually set higher standards for themselves and others, persons who are searching for ways to increase efficiency, to get more output at lower cost, to do more with less effort. Top success is reserved for the I-can-do-it-better kind of person.”                                                                       

                                                                    David J Schwartz-The Magic of Thinking Big

Happy Holidays! I hope that you are having an awesome holiday season and that you are getting amped up and excited for a new year that is going to be incredible. I am always excited about this time of year because what I find is that is an amazing opportunity to make things happen while the average person is out there taking time to relax and enjoy the “slow times”. I know, this is the time to sit back and just enjoy your family and friends, and the season. That is a fine attitude for someone that wants to be average, but not for people looking to take people that are looking to reach their maximum potential, not for you and me. Now is the time to start creating momentum and getting your business swinging into action for next year.

 If you want to take your business to a new level and double your sales you better start getting out now and getting in front of people. I believe in taking time off to relax and enjoy Christmas with the kids and the family, and the day after Christmas as well. We sat around in our pajamas on the day after until 2pm just playing and having fun with the kids. But, I did not sit around all weekend.

On Saturday I left the family at 9:45am for a listing appointment with one of my agents and a 1-4pm open house. I spent an hour at my office preparing my open house book with my prospect surveys, sellers’ disclosure, MLS sheet on the home I was holding open and a whole slew of statistics and comparable properties available for sale in the neighborhood I was holding my open house. I then went to the listing appointment (we got it) and was off to set up my signs and preview 5 properties around my open. I put out 15 signs, plastering the area with directions to get to where I was and my branding. Within fifteen minutes my first guests arrived. Over the course of the next 3 hours I had 12 prospects through that home, one of which was a solid A lead whom I have already set a follow up appointment to do a market analysis, and start their search for a 4-600k home. There were three others that were also solid buyers and 1 solid seller. 4 leads for 3 hours work, 2 days after Christmas…I will take it. The following day I held another open house from 1-4pm and had 8 people through. Another 4 solid leads, one of which I have already set an appointment for today, need to buy by the end of January. So here are my suggestions for you if you want to take your business to a new level in the new year:

1.       Get active now-Average people are sitting around right now waiting for the people to come to them. Quit waiting, do not be average. I hear a lot of people claiming they want to get better, but you have to ask yourself as the quote says, “What am I doing to get better today?”

2.       Be on the phones-There is going to be a whole slew of expired listings on the 1^st day of January, call them. You may be thinking, but I do not have an expired program. So what, neither do I, we just make the calls and get appointments. We are having a super prospecting event all day Friday, with as many agents as we can get that want to make it happen. We are going to call every last expired in our city and get some appointments.

3.       Create a solid plan-If you do not have your 2009 business plan written already, get it done. Mine is a short 1 page document that has a few key items that I need to focus on to take it to a new level next year. I have it laminated and I look at it every single day of my life to remind myself of what I must be doing.

4.       Start thinking bigger-Start today, right now! Say this with me now, “I am making things happen and I am going to double my business now!” Who cares if it sounds absurd to you at this point. All great visions start out sounding absurd. What do you think people thought when the Wright brothers said they could fly? Or what do you think I though the first time I said, “I am a New York Times bestselling author.” ABSURD! Just start proclaiming your excellence and after a while you are going to push and push yourself to become that person that you have envisioned for so long and then you will push yourself further.

That is all I have time for right now, I have got to get on the phones and start preparing for success today. You can get in front of 20 prospect in 24 hours this weekend, but you must make it happen. Things do not just happen in life, it is up to you to make things happen. NOW GO AND DO IT!!!!!! There are no limits.    cg

Hello my friends, it has been too long. I have been neglecting my job of spreading positive vibes through my blog for too long. Fortunately, the reasoning is because I have been writing, (mostly in my notebook not typed yet, otherwise I would share) my new book, working title Brainwashed-Spreading Your Powerful Positive Energy. I promise that it is going to be amazing, I am very excited about it, and I hope you are too. I will be asking for your help on that one soon, I am going to be looking for stories on how you have seen the magic of being positive has effected your life, or stories of how negativity has hurt yours or someone else’s life. I have also finished the first draft of the book that I am writing with Thom Singer titled, Some Assembly Required a Networking Guide for Real Estate Professionals, should be published and available by the end of March. I will let you know how you can order this one soon. I have also been focused on the launch of our new real estate company Goldwasser Real Estate, which has been awesome. Not to mention the fact that I have been spending time with Mason, Aden and Samantha (my 3 amazing children), my wife Tara (9 days in Costa Rica-INCREDIBLE!), the Texas Longhorns football season and enjoying the holidays. So please forgive me and enjoy the following BOOST!  

“Case history after case history proved that the size of bank accounts, the size of happiness accounts, and the size of one’s general satisfaction account is dependent on the size of one’s thinking. There is MAGIC in thinking big.”                                David J Schwartz, The Magic of Thinking Big 

I was on vacation in Costa Rica, lying in the sun, enjoying the beauty of the rainforests, having a great time re-connecting with my wife. We were staying at a beautiful Marriot resort on the Pacific coast in a town called Jaco. We were surrounded by lush green mountainsides; the vast and blue Pacific Ocean, palm trees, vibrant flowers, and all things tropical. There were no cell phones for me, no computers, no email, and no connection to my normal hectic, fast paced world. Nothing but happiness and joy in my life at that point, except for one small thing-The New York Times! That’s right, unfortunately the resort would put a condensed eight page version of this paper outside my door every morning, giving me a glimpse into all of the problems in the world. I am totally aware and interested in keeping up with world issues and staying on top current events, but it seems that every time I pick up the paper my mind is dragged down into the negative. There is a lot of problems right now, there always have been and there always will be tough stuff in this world, but do not drag yourself into this negativity by reading the paper first thing in the morning every day. What I would find happening to me after reading this paper is that I would start to think of all of the distress in the world and my mind would get filled with worry, doubt, and fear about what was going to happen, instead of thinking about what an incredible opportunity I have to make a difference. My mind was dragged into the negative when instead I needed to be steering my mind to the positive, to my goals, my dreams, my vision for the future. I needed to keep myself “thinking big”.

The whole premise of the book The Magic of Thinking Big, is that the size of our opportunity is directly proportional to the size of our thinking. Are you thinking big? What do you see as a vision for your life? Is it a big future full of opportunity? Or are you holding yourself back, and limiting yourself by thinking small? Do you set goals and accomplish them, which will build your confidence and belief? Or do you think about all of the failures in your life and what you have not done? Is your vision for your future clear and do you have it written down where you can look at it every day? Or do you just hope that things will go your way? We have got to start changing our world, we have got to start thinking BIG! The greatest tragedy of this world is men and women selling themselves short. Not living up to their potential because they fall victim to small thinking, believing that they are not entitled to live an amazing life. We are entitled to live an incredible life, full of energy, passion and the fulfillment of all of our dreams. We are entitled to that. If you are feeling that you are becoming a victim of small and negative thinking employ these ideas in your life:

 1. Fill your mind with positive influences- I get great energy from the books I read, the cd’s I listen to (motivational and learning), the people I surround myself with, and the seminars I attend.

2. Start controlling your conversation in your mind- Each and every one of us has a constant stream of thoughts going on inside our brains, the challenge is when we just let the thoughts flow instead of controlling the conversations. We have to start taking control of the thoughts, start talking to ourselves in a positive uplifting way. I do this with a constant stream of affirmation saying things like “I am the best at what I do, I am an incredible person, I live my life with powerful positive energy, I am a #1 NY Times Bestselling author, I am living an incredible life.” I just start thinking and saying these things to myself every morning and it helps me to realize how powerful I am.

3. Stay focused on what is great and be grateful- When you can learn to remember what you have in life instead of what you are lacking, and then be grateful for what you have been given you will find yourself being more positive. I learned this through the book The Secret. The more you realize how much you have the more you will realize what an impact you can make. Start being grateful and thinking bigger of yourself.

4. Project a bigger image of your life- Use your mind to start thinking big thoughts about who you are and who you can become. It is amazing what a big vision, a positive, uplifting, exciting vision can do for you. Write down a thought right now and start focusing on it.

These are just a few ideas that I have used in my own life that have made a huge difference.

As I would sit and ponder all of the challenges of our world that I read about in that paper in Costa Rica, I realized, I need to keep my eyes on the positive vision I have for my life. I am a #1 New York Times bestselling author, and I am positively impacting the lives of millions of people worldwide. That thinking is what I need to be focused on every single day. When you have a big dream, a big vision it will help you to feel good, and it will help you to think well. By staying positive, and infiltrating your mind with an exciting vision you will start to think creatively on how to make that vision become reality. When we focus our lives to much on what is negative in the world and in our life, then we will lose sight of the opportunity that we have to do great things. It is our responsibility as leaders to create positive energy all around us, to have self-responsibility for our attitudes, and the aura that we project and spread to the world. If you are not thinking big, if you do not have a grand vision for your future it will be tough to do.

Take a step right now and start thinking bigger today. if you have not read The Magic of Thinking Big, I highly recommend it, books can change your life, this one is changing mine again. Keep infiltrating your mind, flooding your head with great energy from yourself and others, it makes a big difference.

What I hold in my mind from my Costa Rican vacation is not those articles I read in that little paper, it is the beautiful times with my wife, laying in a hammock under a palm tree, the lush green rainforests, the monkeys running through the trees, the majestical Pacuare River rafting trip we took, the sun, the time sitting by the pool reading, writing, thinking about the amazing gift of life. It is the magic of the world that we live in that I hold as a picture to go back to.

Have an awesome day and know that I will do my best to keep sharing and writing. Spread some positive energy today to those around you, it is an awesome time of year. Happy holidays!    cg

Networking is key to success, I have a book coming out in March about how to build, strengthen and maintain an awesome network, it is called Some Assembly Required-A Networking Guide for Real Estate Proffessionals. Until then, here are some great tips:

Networking is more than just shaking hands and passing out business cards. Networking is really about building your social capital, according to the results of a survey of more than 2,000 businesspeople throughout the United States, U.K., Canada and Australia, published in “Masters of Networking” by Ivan Misner and Don Morgan. The survey respondents rated the traits related to developing and maintaining good relationships.

Here are the top 10 traits that make a master networker, ranked in order of their importance as judged by the respondents.

1. Timely follow-up on referrals
This was ranked as the No. 1 trait of successful networkers. If you present an opportunity — whether it’s a simple piece of information, a special contact or a qualified business referral — to someone who consistently fails to follow up successfully, it’s no secret that you’ll eventually stop wasting your time with this person. Following up with what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it, builds your credibility and trust with your network.

2. Positive attitude
A consistently negative attitude makes people dislike being around you and drives away referrals; a positive attitude makes people want to associate and cooperate with you. When you are positive, you’re like a magnet; people want to be around you and will send their friends, family and associates to you. Positive attitudes are contagious. Being positive contributes to your determination, internal motivation and ultimate business success.

3. Enthusiasm/motivation
Think about the people you know who get the most referrals. They’re the people who show the most motivation, right? It’s been said that the best sales characteristic is enthusiasm. To be respected within our networks, we at least need to sell ourselves with enthusiasm.

Once we’ve done an effective job of selling ourselves, we can reap the reward of seeing our contacts sell us to others. That’s motivation in and of itself. Enthusiasm aligns well with a positive attitude. Enthusiastic and motivated people make things happen for them — and for the people they know.

4. Trustworthiness
When you refer one person to another, there is no doubt that you’re putting your personal and professional reputation on the line. You have to be able to trust your referral partner and be trusted in return. Neither you nor anyone else will refer a contact or valuable information to someone who can’t be trusted to handle it well. Trust, as we have been taught, is earned. It develops over time and throughout the life span of a relationship. Trust can never be taken lightly, because it plays such a huge role in your credibility.

5. Good listening skills
Our success as networkers depends on how well we can listen and learn from the people in our network. The faster you and your networking partner learn what you need to know about each other, the faster you’ll establish a valuable relationship. Listening for the needs and problems of others can also position you to engage the services of the people you know. Many distractions can get in the way of listening well to each other. Communicating well takes focus and effective listening.

6. Commitment to networking 24/7
Master networkers are never formally off duty. (Well, maybe when they’re asleep.) Networking is so natural to them that they can be found networking in the grocery checkout line, at the doctor’s office, and while picking the kids up from school — as well as at business mixers and networking meetings. Master networkers take advantage of every opportunity that’s presented to them on a daily basis. They operate in the “givers gain” mind-set and are primarily looking for opportunities for the people in their network.

7. Gratitude
Gratitude is sorely lacking in today’s business world. Expressing gratitude to business associates and clients is just another building block in the cultivation of relationships that will lead to increased referrals. People like to refer others to business professionals who go above and beyond. Thanking others at every opportunity will help you stand out from the crowd. Expressing sincere gratitude to the people who will one day be there to help you is not just a courtesy — it’s the right thing to do.

8. Helpfulness
Helping others can be done in a variety of ways, from simply showing up to help with an office move to clipping a useful and interesting article and mailing it to an associate or client. Master networkers keep their eyes and ears open for opportunities to advance other people’s interests. They offer to help others whenever they can, because they authentically want to help. It’s as simple as that. Master networkers get joy out of helping other people succeed.

9. Sincerity
Friendliness without sincerity is like a cake without frosting. You can offer the help, the thanks, the listening ear, but if you aren’t sincerely interested in others, it will show — and they’ll know it. Those who have developed successful networking skills convey their sincerity at every turn.

One of the best ways to develop this trait is to give your undivided attention to the individual with whom you’re developing a referral relationship. Don’t multitask when you’re on the phone; stop browsing the Web, balancing your checkbook and shining your shoes. When you multitask, nothing gets your full attention and everything suffers in some way; besides, people can tell when you’re not all there. Make eye contact when you’re speaking to them in person. Sincerely show that you care, and give your complete attention to the individual in front of you.

10. Dedicated to working one’s network
Master networkers don’t let any opportunity to work their networks pass them by. They manage their contacts with contact management software, organize their e-mail address files and carry their referral partners’ business cards along with their own. They set up appointments to get better acquainted with new contacts and learn as much about them as possible, so they can truly become part of one another’s networks.

Copyright 2008 Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D., Michelle Donovan All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without prior written authority.