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The magic of believing
By Bob Hafer
May 6, 1954 marked a turning point in world athletics. Up to that date it was believed to be impossible for anyone to run a mile under four minutes. No one had ever achieved it. The last time the record had been broken was in 1945, and it stood at 4:01:4. But one man, Roger Bannister, a 25 year old medical student from Harrow, Middlesex believed it was possible – and on that date he proved it, crossing the finish in a time of 3:59:4. Yet within 46 days, his great rival John Landy, whose best time thus far had been outside the four minute barrier, ran even faster than Bannister, recording a time of 3:57:9. And over the next three years, 16 runners were to log sub-four minute miles.
You may not be planning to beat a world record, but beliefs play a crucial role in your life. If you believe something is possible you may seek to achieve it. If you believe it’s impossible you probably won’t even try. Once Roger Bannister had made the four-minute mile a reality, others were able to believe they could do it. They broke their psychological barriers and literally followed in his footsteps.
If you want to see Roger Bannister break the four-minute mile, visit YouTube.com and type in Roger Bannister in the search box. You will see Roger demonstrate the 'Magic of Believing'.
What beliefs are holding you back?
Today, the US and the world economy is facing difficult and challenging times. Home sales are at a 17 year low. The stock market is up one day and down the next. The government is taking unprecedented measures to stabilize and free up credit so we don't fall into a long recession. There are days it seems like there is no end in sight. No one would blame you if you decided to look for other opportunities to make a living. But now is not the time to quit – now is the time to believe in yourself.
I have been through five down cycles, this downturn makes number six. Yes, I believe this is the most difficult of them all. But I’m still here and I believe just like the other five downturns this to shall pass.
When I look back I know that it was my attitude that got me through those difficult times. It is all about attitude. When baseball great Ty Cobb was 70, a reporter asked him, “What do you think you’d hit if you were playing these days?” Cobb who had a lifetime batting average of .367, said, “About .290, maybe .300.” The reporter replied, “Is that because of the travel, the night games, the artificial turf, and the new pitches like the slider?” “No,” said Cobb, “it’s because I am seventy.” Now that’s believing in yourself.
Don’t waste time believing you can’t
Here is a great story that's included in Jack Canfield’s book The Fundamentals of Success. Jack Canfield is the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul. The story will inspire you to keep on believing that anything is possible.
Picking up a Buick
In 1977, in Tallahassee, Florida, Laura Shultz, who was 63 at the time, picked up the back end of a Buick to get it off her grandson’s arm. Before that time, she had never lifted anything heavier than a 50 pound bag of dog food.
Dr. Charles Garfield, author of Peak Performance and Peak Performers, interviewed her after reading about her in the National Enquirer. When he got to her home, she kept resisting any attempts to talk about what she called ‘the event’. She kept asking Charlie to eat breakfast and call her Granny, which he did.
Finally, he got her to talk about ‘the event’. She said she didn’t like to think about it because it challenged her beliefs about what she could and couldn’t do. She said, “If I was able to pick up a car when I didn’t think I could, what does that say about the rest of my life? Have I wasted it?”
Charlie convinced her that her life was not yet over and that she could do whatever she wanted to do. He asked her what her passion was. She said she always loved rocks and had always wanted to study geology, but her parents hadn’t enough money to send both her and her brother to college, so her brother had won out.
At 63, with a little coaching from Charlie, she decided to go back to school. She eventually got her degree and went on to teach at the local community college.
The moral of this story is to not wait another day to decide you can do anything you want. Believe that you are capable of doing what you want to do and start working toward it today.
Here’s what you can do today
Write the following words out where you can see them every day - If it is to be - it is up to me. No one is going to get you through this downturn but you. Don’t sit ideally by and watch your prospects go and come. Begin each day with an attitude of expectancy. Expect the best and you will attract the best. Believe that everyone who walks into your model home is going to buy. Know that every action you take moves you toward success. And when doubt creeps in, remember the ‘Granny’ story – anything is possible even picking up the rear end of a Buick.
Send to a friend
Thank you for reading our newsletter. Please do me a favor and forward this newsletter to 5 people who you feel will benefit from the ideas and principles included.
Our goal is to send this newsletter to at least 1000 people monthly. If you have already forwarded our newsletter, thank you. If you have not, please take the time now to help your friends become more successful.
At the bottom of the newsletter you will find a Send to a Friend button. Just click and follow the easy instructions. Thank you in advance for helping us and your friends achieve their goals. It is appreciated!
Robert E. Hafer Seminars
To learn more about Robert E. Hafer seminars and workshops and purchase Building Results – The Ultimate How-To Guide For New Homes Sales, visit www.BobHafer.com, email Bob at buildingresults@BobHafer.com or call 972-795-5926.
Good Luck and Good Selling!
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Focus on the 20 percent that mattersBy Bob Hafer
In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a mathematical formula describing the unequal distribution of wealth. It was based on his observation that twenty percent of the people owned eighty percent of the wealth.
Since Vilfredo identified the trend, many researchers have been busy pointing out some modern applications. Check these out, I think you'll find them interesting:
- 20% of criminals account for 80% of crime
- 20% of motorists account for 80% of accidents
- 20% of your carpet probably gets 80% of the wear
- 20% of streets account for 80% of the traffic
- 20% of product flaws account for 80% of problems
- 20% of clients usually account for 80% of an organization’s profits
- 20% of the clothes in your closet are worn 80% of the time
- 20% of beer drinkers drink 80% of the beer
You can use Pareto's Principle as an effective tool to organize your day. Only 20 percent of the things you do on any given day matter. The 20 percent produces 80 percent of your results. So, identify and focus on the 20 percent. When miscellaneous activities begin to sap your time, remind yourself of your 20 percent. When there’s not enough time to get 20 percent done, make sure none of the items you put off belong to your 20 percent.
Work smarter not harder
I want you think about how you spend your day. Sales success is really about working smarter not harder. Ask yourself: Are you spending your valuable time doing things that help you sell houses? Are you working on tasks you don't particularly like but you know relate to the bigger picture? Are you smiling as you go through the day? If you answered “Yes!” then you are focusing on the 20 percent that matters.
Now ask yourself: Are you working on tasks other people assign to you. Are you working on tasks you believe will never benefit you? Are you frequently working on tasks others call 'critical'? Then you are focusing on the 80 percent that don’t matter.
Start today to gain control over your day by taking one small step: Look for signs that let you know you are focusing on the 20% of activities that net you 80% of your results. This increased awareness of what's vital may be all you need to begin realizing postive results.
How Pareto's Principle can help you today
If you want to learn more about the 80/20 Principle, I recommend you purchase Richard Koch’s book titled 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less. Usually any book with the word ‘secret’ in its title should be looked upon skeptically. Not so here. This book offers sound advice on getting the right things done.
What I like about Koch’s book is that he applies the 80/20 Principle to a wide range of examples from business to personal and social spheres. Job growth and money are certainly mentioned but so isn’t happiness and satisfaction. When you read it make sure you underline or highlight and do make notations in the margins. The ideas will cause you to think about how you spend your time each day. This book does give new meaning to the saying 'Majoring in Minors'.
Send to a friend
Before reading Charlie's Corner we have a favor to ask. We want you to send this newsletter to 5 people who you feel will benefit from the ideas and principles included. Our goal is to send this newsletter to at least 1000 people monthly. To achieve this goal we need your help. If you have already forwarded our newsletter to 5 friends or colleagues, thanks! If not, at the bottom of the newsletter you will find a Send to a Friend button. Just click and follow the easy instructions. Thank you in advance for helping us and your friends achieve their goals. It is appreciated!
Robert E. Hafer Seminars
To learn more about Robert E. Hafer seminars and workshops and purchase Building Results – The Ultimate How-To Guide For New Homes Sales, visit www.BobHafer.com, email Bob at buildingresults@BobHafer.com or call 972-795-5926.
Good Luck and Good Selling!
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Ask the right questions, listen,
observe and understand By Charlie Roter
Knowing how to phrase good questions and listen in ways that show genuine appreciation for what others want to communicate is one of the most important attributes you can possess. Too many of us have a need to talk before we listen. I see this over and over while observing sales people role-play. The general public associates sales people as “smooth talkers” , “slick talkers” and having the “gift of gab”. I cringe when I hear people say such things. Have you ever heard someone describe a sales person as a “very observant and perceptive listener”? If you have, you are definitely in the minority.
Talking gives us a false sense of control. In reality, sales people who are asking questions and listening to what is being said are the ones who are controlling the subject matter of the conversation. We are much more effective when we listen first and respond afterwards.
When you meet your prospects for the first time, it is normal for most of them to oppose involvement with you. Most want to get a brochure, price sheet and tour the models at their leisure. We are conditioned to avoid sales people until we have found what we are looking for on our own. “Can I help you” and “Is this your first visit” are standard questions asked by everyone in the home building industry. Once the prospect hears this, it just motivates them even more to avoid speaking to you.
Professional sales people will start conversations with unique and interesting questions. Questions that are non threatening and focused on building immediate trust and rapport such as “How may I be of service, to you, today?” and “Can you tell me a little bit about your situation?”.
Questions asked with warmth and sincere curiosity will usually evoke pleasant responses. When you listen and observe with expressive interest in what your prospect is saying, the process tends to encourage open and productive conversations. This also creates fruitful relationships. Listening is a skill that is seldom mastered. Understanding is the objective.
Send to a friend
Thank you for reading our newsletter. You now have a choice to make - choose to use the ideas we have shared with you or not. The choice is yours to make – remember that choice not chance always determines success.
Make the right choice and begin today to meet the challenge of today’s ‘new’ home buyer. Additional sales and income are the result.
Forward this newsletter
Please do me a favor, forward this newsletter to 5 people who you feel will benefit from the ideas and principles included. Our goal is to send this newsletter to at least 1000 people monthly. If you have already forwarded my newsletter, thank you. If you have not, please take the time now to help your friends become more successful.
At the bottom of the newsletter you will find a Send to a Friend button. Just click and follow the easy instructions. Thank you in advance for helping me and your friends achieve their goals. It is appreciated!
Charlie Roter Seminars
To learn more about Charlie Roter seminars visit www.CharlieRoter.com. You can also reach Charlie by emailing him at buildingresults@CharlieRoter.com or call him at 719-205-1385. Charlie will respond to your request within 24 hours.
Good Luck and Good Selling!
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