The difference between mediocre agents and top performers often comes down to one simple principle: following through on what you promise. Nedd Brockmann, the ultramarathon runner who captured Australia’s attention by running across the continent, built his reputation on a foundation that real estate agents know intimately – the power of doing exactly what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it.
“People who I have trusted in my life are those who said they’re going to do something and going through with it,” Nedd explained to a packed room of real estate professionals.
It’s a philosophy that sounds obvious until you consider how rare genuine follow-through has become in business.
For agents juggling dozens of clients, multiple listings, and endless administrative tasks, Nedd’s approach to decision-making offers a framework for cutting through the chaos. His method isn’t about perfect planning – it’s about decisive action.
The Latin Lesson That Changes Everything
Nedd’s perspective on decision-making stems from an understanding that most people miss entirely. “Decision means is from the word which means to cut off or to kill,” he revealed. “So when you make a decision, it actually means to cut off any other alternative than the other day you want to do.”
This isn’t academic theory for Nedd. When he announced he would run from Perth to Sydney – a distance of 3,953 kilometres – he wasn’t making a casual statement of intent. “You say you do something. You start selling people. It gets around pretty quick,” he noted.
The same principle applies to agents who promise a marketing campaign by Friday, commit to a specific listing strategy, or guarantee weekly updates to vendors. The moment you make that promise, you’ve cut off every other option except delivering on your word.
Most agents hedge their commitments with escape routes and conditional language. Nedd suggests the opposite approach: make fewer promises, but make them absolute.
The Compound Effect of Delayed Gratification
Nedd’s running career began during COVID lockdowns as a simple weight-loss strategy. But his breakthrough insight came during a gruelling 60-kilometre run to his family farm. “If you delay the reward, delay the satisfaction of achieving something for a prolonged period of time, the elation and the pride that you feel by doing something so extreme is completely compounded by the end of it,” he explained.
This principle translates directly to real estate success. Agents who can delay immediate gratification – whether that’s taking on every lead that walks through the door or cutting corners on marketing preparation – often achieve disproportionately better results.
The compounding effect works in client relationships too. An agent who consistently delivers small promises over months builds exponentially more trust than one who over-promises and under-delivers on major commitments.
“I think a lot of people get caught up in trying to make the right decision, trying to make the right get everything all their ducks in the road before they make the call,” Nedd observed. The paralysis of perfectionism kills more opportunities than poor execution ever could.
From Personal Challenge to Global Impact
What started as a personal fitness journey evolved into something far more significant. Through his running challenges, Nedd has helped mobilise funding that has moved 480 people out of homelessness. “Over the last twenty months, we’ve given out the first we’ve mobilized and given out the first million of the fundraiser,” he revealed.
The scalability impressed him most. “The three month check ins is 100% clear that there’s no one falls back into it,” he emphasised, adding bluntly: “It’s fucking working.”
This progression from personal goal to measurable community impact mirrors the journey many successful agents experience. They start focused on their own transactions and gradually realize their platform can create broader positive change – whether through community involvement, mentoring newer agents, or advocating for industry improvements.
The Identity Trap
Nedd’s unconventional appearance – complete with a distinctive mullet and bleached styling – serves a deliberate purpose. “I’m a big believer that identity burns us all. If you keep holding on to the fact that you’re this guy and you it’s a reminder of the past, not of your ability to be present,” he stressed.
For real estate professionals, this insight cuts deep. How many agents remain trapped by outdated versions of themselves? The veteran who refuses to embrace digital marketing because “that’s not how we’ve always done it.” The young agent who won’t target luxury markets because they don’t feel they belong there yet.
“I did it actually as a way to not quite essentially break down the stigma between someone with a mullet and what we think of them initially when we look at them versus what we think,” Nedd explained about his distinctive look.
Identity can become a prison if you let it. The most successful agents regularly shed outdated versions of themselves to match their expanding capabilities and market opportunities.
The Urgency of Finite Time
Perhaps Nedd’s most sobering insight is also his most motivating. “Decisions are important because of the fact that this will all end,” he stated matter-of-factly. “At the end of all this, we die. We don’t leave here alive.”
This isn’t morbid philosophy – it’s practical wisdom. The awareness of finite time creates urgency around what matters most. “For the last seven years, have just gone hell for leather. I have turned off the indicators, and I’ve gone. I have just relentlessly pursued the next thing,” Nedd shared.
But recently, he discovered the value of strategic pauses. “This is the first time in my life I’ve spent five weeks not training at all. And it is a beautiful thing to reflect,” he noted.
The lesson for agents is nuanced: pursue your goals relentlessly, but build in deliberate time for reflection and course correction.
The Action-Results Framework
Nedd’s final piece of advice synthesizes everything: “Being patient with results, but incredibly impatient with action.”
This framework resolves a common source of agent frustration. Results – whether closing deals, building market share, or developing referral networks – take time to compound. But the actions that create those results should happen immediately and consistently.
“Don’t wait to make it the right decision. Make it do it and make it right,” Nedd concluded.
For agents, this means starting that difficult conversation with an unrealistic vendor today, not next week. It means implementing new systems immediately, not after you’ve researched every possible alternative. It means making the follow-up call within hours, not days.
Nedd’s journey from COVID weight loss to continental crossing demonstrates that extraordinary results come from ordinary people who refuse to negotiate with their commitments.
In an industry built on relationships and trust, that simple principle might just be the competitive advantage every agent is looking for.
