Monday Motivation, 7.30.18

Written by: Ben Rogers

Every Monday, The Rogers-Long Team meets for one of its two weekly meetings. The Monday meeting always ends with “Monday Motivation” in which a few minutes are spent listening to one team member presenting a quote, a quick reading from a book, a scene from a movie, or anything else they find motivating to provide a “spark” to the whole team on a Monday morning.

IT’S NOT ENOUGH.

I’ve now been a “business owner” for over 6 years and I’ve had a business coach for 5.5 years. When people ask me what is the single greatest thing that has led to success, I point towards consistent training & coaching – it never stops. My coach works for Buffini & Company, the largest real estate coaching company in North America. There are many ways to generate business, but I’ve found that I relate best to Buffini & Co.’s methodologies and that is to work exclusively by referral. A majority of what I’ve learned led to our team’s motto: “The mission of The Rogers-Long Team is to exceed expectations so that our clients become advocates.”

With that said, there is a larger focus on the relationship with a client than the transaction itself. We have practices that teach us to thank people, feel grateful for things and relationships that are in our lives, and express our gratitude – not just keep it all inside. And that’s all good – but why be good when great is available? Saying thank you just to “tick a box” isn’t enough.

To go from “good to great” in cultivating a heartfelt spirit of gratitude, below are 3 “challenges” that are listed in Brian Buffini’s newest book, The Emigrant Edge.

Challenge 1: Appreciate those closest to you. I’m well known for always wanting more and never being satisfied. Although there are benefits associated with this mindset, there is a fine line. I married my wife Emma 23 days ago and she pointed this out to me very recently which led to this Monday’s “Motivation”. I was talking to her about all of the plans and goals and wants and dreams and activities and more that I wanted to do and accomplish. She finally said to me (this is not verbatim, I can’t remember exactly, but it’s close) “Ben, I know you want to do all of these things and don’t get me wrong – it’s great to be driven. But sometimes I think we should just focus on what we already have, and appreciate what we’ve already accomplished.” She’s exactly right. What if your life only had 48 hours left? What would you be grateful for? Who do you appreciate that’s close to you? For me, it’s my wife, my parents, my siblings, my friends. I need to do a better job appreciating them more often. I’m on it.

Challenge 2: Catch people doing something right. As the “Team Leader” of The RLT, my job is to be critical…at times. One thing that should not be overlooked is to point out and praise when my teammates are doing something right. Yes, it is important to correct actions that need attention that might not be working; however, it’s even more important to acknowledge when people are doing something right. When’s the last time you truthfully and honestly thanked a co-worker for just doing a little thing perfectly? Look out for someone doing something right and let them know how you feel!

Challenge 3: Brush your teeth and write your notes. Buffini says that “Personal notes expressing gratitude have incredible power. When people open their mail, a personal note is always the first thing they read. After all, it stands out among all the junk mail and bills! And in this high-tech, social media-driven world, I find personal notes are even more powerful and better received than ever before.” When is the last time you received a personal note in the mail? I have a massive 7×4 bulletin board in my office filled up with personal notes written to me that I save as a reminder for how blessed I am to be surrounded by so many great people – I call these people my “army”. Just remember, don’t write your notes just to “tick a box” – it’s not enough. Convey your thanks & gratitude with a full heart!

Above all, remember this: “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” What are you grateful for today? Who are you grateful for today? Give them a call (and write them a personal note) to let them know!

Ben Rogers, The Team Leader of The Rogers-Long Team, has been in the real estate business since 2012. In 2014, he began The Rogers-Long Team with Kevin Long, which produced over $25,000,000 in volume production in 2017. In addition to selling homes and leading the team, Ben hosts a podcast show called the “The Bottom Line”, which can be found by clicking here. The Bottom Line is a Podcast that links lessons learned from sports, business, and life and is targeted at those who are striving for excellence, while ‘Average Sits on the Bench’.