“Whether you’re stepping onto the pitch or into a listing presentation, the game is the same, you’ve got to show up prepared, perform under pressure, and back yourself,” Adam says.
After more than seven years with the Central Coast Mariners, often in the tough role of second-choice keeper, Adam knows what it means to stay ready, even when you’re not in the spotlight.
Now, at just 25, he’s applying that same discipline, mental toughness and relentless preparation to his new career at Harcourts.
And it’s already paying off.
“Real estate’s not just about hustle,” he says.
“It’s about habits.
“Discipline wins, just like in football.”
Mastering the emotional game
In elite sports, your ability to manage emotion often separates the good from the great.
It’s a lesson Adam learned early and one that’s proved just as important in real estate.
“There’s a similar pressure,” he says.
“When a property goes to auction and passes in, that’s public. People talk.
“It feels a lot like losing a game on the weekend, even if you trained perfectly all week.”
He says he is able to stay on track because he has a solid routine and structure, just like with sports.
Adam’s mornings start with movement, including a run, a ride, or a swim, which sets the one for the day.
And while it’s tempting to let one bad result throw you off, he’s trained himself to stay process-focused.
“Whether it’s a passed-in auction or a game where you sat on the bench, you can’t afford to spiral,” he says.
“You reset. You go again.”
Building mental resilience
Real estate is not for the faint-hearted with cold calls, rejection and weeks without listings.
It can chip away at your confidence if you let it.
Adam doesn’t.
He focuses on structure and self-accountability, holding himself to 30 prospecting connects a day, separate from buyer follow-ups.
“I block out two hours. That’s my time. No distractions,” he says.
“If I cut it short by 15 minutes, in my head I’m thinking: someone else stayed the full block, they probably booked the appointment I didn’t.”
That discipline, he says, is born from years of training for something that might never come and showing up anyway.
From team sport to individual drive
Football gave Adam a foundation in teamwork, but the Ironman taught him something deeper: self-leadership.
Last year, amid juggling real estate, soccer and 60-hour work weeks, Adam completed a full Ironman including a 3.8km swim, 180km ride, and a marathon, all in one day.
He trained up to 22 hours a week while working full-time.
“It was about doing something people said I couldn’t,” he says.
“Waking up at 3 am to ride five hours before work, that’s where confidence comes from. You earn it.
“In football and in real estate, there’s always a team around you; the Ironman was just me. No subs. No one to blame.
“That taught me more about myself than anything else.”
Playing the long game
Adam’s current focus is generating appointments and contributing to the team led by his mentor, Joel Soldado.
But he’s already thinking bigger.
“I’ve got a 20-listing target for the year,” he says.
“That’s where I’m benchmarking myself.
“But long term, I want to be a standalone agent with a team, one that reflects the same values I’ve learned from Joel.”
He’s cautious about setting goals too high, too fast.
“In football, I’ve seen what happens when people burn out chasing the wrong goals,” he says.
“In real estate, the same rules apply, if you don’t acknowledge the small wins, the big ones never come.”
Master the basics
Adam has a number of fundamental principles that he focuses on that have helped him launch his career on the front foot.
First, have a daily routine. Starting the morning with clarity, whether it’s a swim, a run, or a quiet coffee, creates the composure needed to handle whatever the day throws at you.
Second, own your process. For Adam, hitting personal KPIs is more important than chasing short-term outcomes.
The key is consistency, doing the work even when results don’t come immediately.
Third, eliminate distractions. Adam blocks out focused time each day, treating prospecting like a non-negotiable training session.
He knows discipline is often what separates the top 5 per cent from everyone else.
Fourth, train for adversity. Setbacks aren’t a sign you’ve failed, they’re part of the job. Whether it’s a passed-in auction or a missed listing, the only way forward is to reset and go again.
Finally, back yourself. In sport and in sales, confidence is built, not inherited.
Adam knows no one is coming to save him, but he’s also learned that he’s got what it takes to win.
“People think elite performance is about talent,” he says.
“It’s not. “It’s about discipline, mindset, and doing the work every single day, even when it’s hard.”
