If you’re finding yourself unmotivated and uninspired, you might want to ask yourself why—then do something to change it.
Everyone has an occasional bad day when things just don’t go right. On those days, you might be tempted to ask yourself, “What am I doing with my life?” Fortunately, those days usually give way to great projects or fun clients who bring the excitement back and remind you why you love real estate. If your bad days are getting more frequent, though, it might be time to ask yourself some hard questions in order to figure out what’s missing from your professional life and how you can make every day of your real estate career more enjoyable and more rewarding.
1. How flexible are your hours?
Real estate agents consistently rank flexible hours as a reason they love the job. However, even though you’re not punching a time clock, it could feel like you’re anchored to working long hours and being available whenever clients call. If your “flexible” hours actually mean you’re working many nights and weekends, consider setting some boundaries around your time so you can enjoy more family time or personal interests like a favorite hobby or charitable work.
2. Do you feel like you help people each day?
Knowing you’re participating in the biggest financial decision your clients might ever make can be incredibly rewarding, but it can be easy to lose sight of this with the day-to-day hustle and bustle. Consider starting an “encouragement file” where you save positive feedback to review on the bad days. Reach out to past clients for coffee and hear how much they love their home and neighborhood. It will help you stay top of mind with them and remind you how valued—and valuable—you are.
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3. Are there more ways to share your talents?
The skills you’ve developed as a real estate agent can be put to work helping your community or helping new agents get into the business. Find ways to contribute your time and talent; in exchange, you’ll get a morale boost. Get certified as a trainer or teacher. Sit on the advisory board of your favorite charity, sharing your expertise on property acquisitions and management. By serving others, you’ll feel yourself growing more enthusiastic.
4. Do you earn enough?
Let’s face it: how much agents earn can have a significant impact on their feelings about their career. If you think you’re not earning enough money, some continuing education could be in order to help update you on trends, emerging best practices, and ways agents across the country are making more money. Read up or take a class on marketing, including content creation and social media marketing. You’ll find ways to boost your bottom line—and you might become an influencer in the process.
5. Do you control your business?
You might have started in real estate to be your own boss, but you need the right brokerage to give you the support, training, technology, and lead gen you need for success. If your broker is exercising too much control without giving anything back, it might be time to reevaluate the brokerage relationship. Look for a brokerage that sets you up to achieve big goals and knows that putting you at the center of their business model is good for both of you.
6. Are you managing your time?
Poor time management skills can limit your satisfaction in your career. Instead of achieving a work-life balance, poor time management could mean you’re working longer hours and getting less done. Explore strategies like time blocking and productivity apps like Asana, Slack, and Trello to help you do more with your time and track it better. Look at a scheduler like Calendly to keep you from playing endless games of phone tag and to ensure your time is better controlled.
7. Is there another niche where you’re better suited?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to real estate. Consider which niche might be a better fit for you. Do you like commercial real estate? Luxury? Flipping homes? Interests change over time and the niche you started out in might not be the best fit now. Check out certifications and designations around your new niche and find a mentor who can help you create a roadmap for transitioning to your new market segment.
Don’t forget to change your marketing and branding to better reflect your new focus—the look, feel, and tone of luxury marketing is very different from the marketing you’ll create for investors. You’ll talk to first-time homebuyers in a different way than you talk to commercial clients. Review your logo, business cards, headshot, and even colors and fonts and gear your style toward your new niche.
A dip in your enthusiasm doesn’t have to signal the end of your real estate career. It could be just the beginning of a new, more rewarding one. Ask yourself these seven questions and be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses, then find ways to bring the fun back to your professional life.
