19 Jan Is Your Tree Dying or Growing?
I once wrote a piece called “Is Your Tree Dying?” and I began by relating a story about a property that Kim and I owned. We planted a small tree and over time it started to die. Naturally, this bummed us out!
We loved the landscaping, the yard, and this particular tree—so we called in a tree specialist. They fertilized it, pruned it, did whatever it is they do to keep trees healthy, but it kept dying.
Finally, I said enough is enough. I took the garden hose out twice a week and soaked the roots for over a month. Before we knew it, the leaves started to explode from the previously dying branches.
All it needed was a little more water. What had happened was the drip line that took water to the tree was clogged, and we didn’t even know it. Today, the tree is as happy as a clam and flourishing.
It's not rocket science. All that tree needed was the right environment to grow in. And the same is true with people, isn't it? Many people don’t grow because they’re in poor environments.
Putting Yourself in the Right Environment
I always harp on the idea of paying attention to who you’re hanging out with because that's ultimately the environment you put yourself in. Is it an environment that will allow you to grow and thrive? Are you just going to stagnate? Or even worse, are you going to slowly die out over time?
(I realize that's a little morbid—we're not talking about actual death here, but your personal and professional growth!)
Many of our Associates tell us that they joined us specifically because of the family environment we've cultivated at Smart Real Estate Coach and in our Wicked Smart Community. It wasn't a special technique—we certainly have great techniques, but the family aspect isn't something we actively worked toward, it's just how it happened.
But in the end, our family aspect is unique and it's important because it puts people in the right environment to grow. We support everyone in our community as if they were our family. We lock arms (sometimes literally) to help each other grow our real estate businesses. That means going on appointments together, making calls together, and sharing our collective wisdom to help everyone improve. All of our Associates get the chance to come visit us for two days in our office. We get on planes to go see our High Six Associates and spend time with them.
Once again, it's not rocket science—if you want to grow or you want your real estate business to grow, you need to put yourself in an environment that will foster that growth. We've been able to cultivate that, and if you want to experience it, just check out one of our live events.
Read Every Day
The other aspect of continuous growth is more personal. Look at any successful person, and I guarantee they read on a daily basis or do something to continue learning every day.
If you want your intelligence to grow, wouldn’t it make sense to read daily in the area of expertise you’re looking to expand on? If you read 10 to 30 minutes a day and apply what you learn, you will be in the top 1-2% of your industry, regardless of what industry you're in. That's a fact. Some even say that you'd be in the top 1% if you read for an hour daily.
Consistency is key here. Don't try to commit to an hour right off the bat—just start by trying to read for 15 minutes each day. How easy would that be? Just 15 minutes in bed before you fall asleep.
And even better yet, grab some audiobooks. I use Audible to listen to audiobooks while I work out and on my way to the office.
I also ask everyone about what books they're reading. I ask every single podcast guest what they're reading and, most of the time, I pick up a copy for myself to either read or listen to. It pushes me to read even more and further my learning. Get yourself in front of books, and get yourself into the learning mode!