8

He did get 8. Gold medals. In Beijing.

Yes. This is about Micheal Phelps. Well, not him but his most recent book, No Limits: The Will To Succeed.

It's an interesting and entertaining read with alot of anecdotes focusing on 8 success principles (following the 8 Gold medal swims.).

There are alot of lessons that I gathered from this book. Most importantly, for me, was his determination and focus on preparing to win. Not just swim -but WIN. Reading about his training regimen and his lifestyle leading up to the past two Olympics made me think about my life and my pursuits.

Am I doing everything it takes to succeed? If I want to succeed to the levels I feel I deserve, am I willing to do "whatever it takes?"

Despite his recent extra-curricular activities I highly recommend this book for any young athlete or young entrepreneur.

Reading.

Happy New Year!

So, have you made your resolutions? Promises? Objectives?

Call it what you may but we obviously want to improve or continue along our merry way this year. Outside of losing weight, making more money and getting more sleep, what do you want to achieve or do?

Here's something to chew on (sorry dieters!). Read. And I'm not suggesting blogs, newspapers or magazines. Books. The good old fashioned book.

Why?

Two main reasons. Entertainment and personal growth. Reading is actually fun when done outside of work or school - trust me! And the knowledge we can get while doing so can help us tackle new problems or even see things in a new light. Studies have even shown that "bibliotherapy" actually works.

We can read at any time in any place! At night in bed, on the "royal throne", on the TTC, at dinner time, during lunch, and even at your workplace.

No matter what you want to achieve this year let's do a little bit more reading.

Need help figuring out what to read? Check this list out for those business minded or this list of most recommended books.

Happy reading!

(Picture courtesy of www.esischool.com)

What to do when business is slow.

Lots.

There are lots of things you can do when business is slow.

However, there are probably things you should do when business is slow. Today, I'm going to share with you just a few things you should be doing. So, let's get started, shall we?

1. READ. And I don't mean the daily newspaper. It's news that is over a day old and probably with nothing good to say anyways. Start reading books, articles, magazines, and even blogs about success, marketing, business and, of course, real estate. (If you're reading this and you're not in the r.e. business, then read up on stuff pertinant to your industry/profession) Why? Ideas. There may be little things these folks will suggest or present that you may not be doing right now, that maybe you should. For example, if you're thinking about having your own blog but don't know what to do then reading Chris Brogan would be a brilliant start.
2. GIVE. Your time, resources, and especially expertise. My friends, Tim Sanders and Sameer Vasta have recently talked about giving. Remember, what goes around comes around. Give and it shall be given unto you.
3. COMMUNITY. Or you can say, associate. Whatever term you use, it is more important now to seek the counsel of your manager, associate, mastermind group and/or mentor. Thousands of successful entrepreneurs have already survived and thrived through a recession. Find out what they did. Inquire about there thought process on what it takes to succeed in today's marketplace. There is strength in numbers!
4. WORK. But you knew that already, didn't you? Then why aren't you? Continue to market yourself. Continue to make phone calls. Continue to plant seeds so that you will have something to grow and harvest. Hundreds of people are leaving your industry today. There will be less competition tomorrow. It's up to you if you want to win.

Please don't consider this the extent of what you should be doing. It is far from that. However, I believe that if you follow my suggestions you will have a brighter tomorrow.

To your success!

(picture courtesy of www.musicforchange.com)

Guest Column - Stan Albert - The tough get going

Are we recession proof? I don’t think so. As I mentioned about two months ago, beware of the big ‘R’ word.

The cycle has returned – no surprise! Let me see, the last time was in the late ’80s into the early ’90s. It was bad and a lot of agents left the industry to go and sell Amway or whatever. But it wasn’t as bad as 1981 to 1985, where we saw interest rates as high as 28 per cent. Can you believe that? Some of us old-timers can and we survived to tell the tale.

Yes, it was even fun to work the market then, with Vendor Take Backs (you newer agents remember taking this in your mortgage courses, but I bet you’ve never done one).

So, the USA debacle has finally caught up with the staid, stable Canadian marketplace. Is it any surprise that we are not bullet-proof? What happens south of the border usually takes longer to hit us here in Canada. But not this time.

I just returned from a holiday in the Baja Peninsula in Mexico and visited several Realtors and developments. Tourism has been badly hit as well as investment in homes and condos in Mexico.

Some of the Yanks I met were worried about their investments, as we all are. Many were thinking of investing, but shied away due to the Wall Street debacle. However, some of the time share presentations were well received and people were still buying – just not at the rate that they did in years past. This is no surprise.

Is this article all about doom and gloom? No. There’s an old adage: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Yes, it’s a little on the schmaltzy side, but it’s true.

I’ve always been mystified when the market does a downturn, that there are still people who have cash reserves they haven’t invested in the stock market, and they come out of the woodwork to buy and sell properties.

Do any of you think that we’ll have the landslide of foreclosures that we see south of us? Let me know and tell me why.

Who will survive in our industry? Here’s who will:

Those who diligently have been in touch with their sphere of influence.

Those who hold seminars for first-time buyers. Yes, they still want to buy!

Those who read about the recession and how the agents who lived through it managed to maintain their sales. I recently talked to a manager of a large market niche office, and their sales are the same as last year.

Those who investigate the new Accredited Seniors Course – yes, seniors still need to sell and buy.

Those who look into recession-proof prospects (you can reach me on email for these – don’t have room here!).

Those who continue to run open houses on a regular basis.

Those who tighten their belts on spending and resist the urge to splurge.

Those who seek the advice of their manager, not their coaches, because most coaches are too young to give advice on this type of market.

Those who attend mind-building seminars, not the rah-rah type.

Those who take time to read REM, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.

My late dad, Jake Albert, always said to me, “Hard work never killed anyone, only those who were idle usually died poor and miserable.”

Stan Albert is celebrating his 39^th year in active real estate, and is with Re/Max Excellence in Woodbridge, Ont. He serves on committees at RECO and on the MLS Rules and Communication committees at the Toronto Real Estate Board. He is an established trainer and business consultant and can be reached at salbert@trebnet.com.

Starting - The First Step Toward Success

2009 is fast approaching. Today's economic unrest has many people running like chickens with their heads cut off (not that I've seen this happen...). Hope the article below helps all of you.

Starting - The First Step Toward Success

By John C. Maxwell

Salespersons are coached in the power of a first impression. Orators devote hours to opening statements. Journalists are admonished never to bury the lead. Sprinters practice racing out of the starting blocks. Interviewees are taught the importance of their initial handshake with a potential employer.

In leadership, as in many other areas of life, the beginning often determines the end. False starts and weak foundations can be ruinous. Here are five insights to help you start successfully.

HOW TO START SUCCESSFULLY

1. Start With Yourself

As Gandhi famously said, "Be the change you want to be in the world." By starting with yourself, you build the self-confidence needed to attract and inspire others. Leading yourself well is a precursor to accomplishment, and accomplishment earns respect. In order to make deposits in the lives of followers, you have to have a beginning balance in your leadership account. Start leading by proving your mettle - to yourself and to prospective followers.

2. Start early

Sadly, many leaders squander their early years and spend the rest of their careers trying to make up for lost time. In leadership, as with finances, decisions made early in life accrue the most interest. When we choose poorly or establish bad habits, we put ourselves in debt. Then, we must not only repay our loans, but the interest on them as well. On the flip side, when we invest our time and talent wisely from a young age, we reap the benefits of compounding interest on our leadership.

Specifically, where should leaders start? What areas should take precedence at the beginning? From my experience there are 10 things you should do as a leader prior to reaching age 40:

1. Know yourself
   
2. Settle your family life
3. Determine your priorities
   
4. Develop your philosophy of life
5. Get physically fit
   
6. Learn your trade
   
7. Pay the price
   
8. Develop solid relationships
   
9. Prepare for the future
10. Find purpose for your life

If you're over 40, it's never to late to make improvements. Unfortunately, an old dog doesn't easily learn new tricks. Undoing years of misplaced priorities and poor self-management will take extra effort.

3. Start Small

Don't expect to understand what it takes to get to the top, just take the next step.
Think big, but start small. Doing so encourages you to get started, and keeps you from being frozen by the magnitude of the vision in front of you. When you accomplish a small step, you gain confidence that you can accomplish the next step.

The success found in starting small comes when you diligently apply the lessons you learn. As my friend, Dick Biggs, has said, "The greatest gap is between knowing and doing." Commit to mastering the details under your control, and follow through when experience has given you instruction.

4. Start with the end in view

"Most people spend more time planning their grocery shopping than designing their future."
~ Tom James, Personal Development Coach

To start with the end in view, you need energy and direction. Let your passion pull you forward, and let your planning give you guidance. In order for passion to be a driving force in your life, you must identify a purpose for you life. To locate your purpose, consider your strengths, interests, and past successes. What roles do you find most enjoyable? What brings you the greatest sense of satisfaction? Examine the areas that make you feel strong and angle your career toward them. Also, find people who have been successful in the area of your interest. Listen to them and watch their lives.

For planning to give you direction, you need to write down goals. Goals lend structure to your purpose, and they keep you leading "within the lines." They focus your action and move you toward your overall vision.

5. Start Now

We exaggerate yesterday, overestimate tomorrow, and underestimate today. Embrace action daily. Don't wait until it's too late before you begin to pursue the visions implanted in your heart. Make each day your masterpiece; you'll be surprised where you end up after stringing together a few months of superb days.

I'll leave you with one final thought:

"How wonderful it is that we need not wait a single minute before starting to improve ourselves and our world." ~ Anne Frank

Review - Five Steps to Starting Successfully

1. Start Early
2. Start with Yourself
3. Start Small
4. Start with the End in View
5. Start Now

About the Author

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 16 million books. His organizations have trained more than 2 million leaders worldwide. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and INJOY Stewardship Services. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and audiences as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell was named the World's Top Leadership Guru by Leadershipgurus.net. He was also one of only 25 authors and artists named to Amazon.com's 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame. Three of his books, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader have each sold over a million copies.

"This article is used by permission from Leadershp Wired, Mi's premiere leadership newsletter, available for free subscription at www.maximumimpact.com."