Due to the dynamic and competitive nature of our industry, confidence, resilience and a willingness to step outside of your comfort zone are necessary traits if you’re looking to amplify your career in real estate.
Agents often find themselves facing challenging situations and how you manage, overcome and resolve these hurdles will determine your success as an agent.
Your ability to conquer your fears and self-doubt also plays a big part in deciding how well your personal and professional goals and outcomes are aligned and impacted.
The detrimental impact of self-doubt and fear
Self-doubt and fear can be the most damaging, as they have a tendency to silently undermine your potential and limit your opportunity for growth.
These feelings are often fuelled by a lack of confidence, which can have a profound impact on your career as it manifests in various negative ways.
Many agents dread cold-calling potential clients due to self-doubt and fear of rejection, which can limit your ability to prospect effectively.
This is likely to also affect their ability to list property.
Their lack of self-belief and the hesitancy that creates when standing before a vendor is obvious and comes across as inexperience and lack of empathy and understanding.
When self-doubt creeps in, agents may also struggle to negotiate effectively, as they’re uncomfortable with intense conversations.
They potentially miss better deals for their clients.
They are also likely to shy away from networking opportunities and miss out on making valuable connections in their community and their team.
Such agents won’t necessarily interact and engage directly with people who may be able to help them grow and improve their skills and confidence.
Turning the tide: Strategies for emotional resilience
Overcoming self-doubt requires a shift in mindset, from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.
Agents can start by acknowledging their limitations and seeking support from their leaders, mentors, coaches, or colleagues.
Confidence can be developed through training, practice such as role play and the self-celebration of small wins.
Both self-doubt and fear are deeply rooted in how you perceive yourself.
Real estate agents often place immense pressure on themselves to succeed and, along with the often high KPIs and targets provided, this can exacerbate negative emotions.
Self-compassion, the practice of treating yourself with kindness and understanding, can be a powerful antidote.
To do this, consider these points each day until they become a habit.
- Embrace imperfection. Understand that nobody is perfect, and mistakes are part of the learning process. You will learn to roll with them and instead of dwelling on failures, focus on what can be learnt from them. There is always a silver lining.
- Positive self-talk. Pay attention to your inner dialogue. Replace self-criticism with self-encouragement and affirmations. Remind yourself of your past successes and capabilities.
- Seek balance. Realise that a healthy work-life balance is crucial for long-term success and wellbeing. Overworking, due to fear or self-doubt, can lead to further problems.
- Mindfulness and stress reduction. Practices like mindfulness meditation can help manage stress and anxiety, making it easier to face your fears head-on!
- Journal. Keep track of the things that scare you and challenge your confidence so that you have it in the forefront of your awareness. Once you’re conscious of them, you can go back and remind yourself of all the past situations where you were able to overcome your fears. This way, they won’t seem so insurmountable.
Fear is another obstacle that agents must confront on a daily basis.
Fear comes in many forms – fear of failure, fear of rejection, and fear of the unknown, which are all instrumental in slowing progress.
Your fear will limit your potential because it causes you to avoid certain activities and situations.
And when that happens you miss out on potential earnings and results.
Rejection is a fear most agents have and it creates hesitation when it’s time to follow-up a lead or push an offer.
That’s because they focus on the ‘what if’ negative outcomes.
Such fears can hinder the ability to close a deal and be a successful listing agent because they go into a presentation thinking about rejection and failure.
In a constantly evolving industry, innovation is key and fear can stifle the willingness to embrace new technologies and marketing techniques, putting agents at a disadvantage and slowing down their progress and productivity.
The stress and pressure associated with fear can lead to burnout, which can have long-term negative effects on a person’s career and wellbeing.
So, conquering fear is an important aspect and involves a combination of mindset shifts and practical strategies.
You can benefit from setting realistic goals, visualising a successful outcome and adopting a growth-oriented mindset, knowing that it’s OK to not win them all.
Failure is only permanent if you give up.
Make sure that your inner narrative is positive and reaffirming, always reminding yourself that you are capable and that you CAN do it.
Ask yourself, “What if it all works out?” You’re likely fearing something which may never happen.
Additionally, seeking support from your peers or a mentor can help you manage your fears and get constructive feedback on tricky situations so you improve for next time.
Resilience and beyond: Building a sustainable career
The last thing you need to build is resilience!
This is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, and it’s a quality every successful real estate agent must develop.
Every time you face and overcome challenges, you build resilience and confidence.
To do this, you must persist and be able to keep moving towards your goals, no matter what happens.
To help with this, establish both short-term and long-term goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
But keep your focus on the short-term goals.
These are the ones that provide a roadmap to follow and give you a sense of purpose and achievement along the way to your overall goal.
It’s also important to keep training, but not just industry specific.
Spend time on motivational, mindset and wellness programs also – this will keep you in a healthy mental state and allow you to be open to change and ready to pivot when necessary.
Self-doubt and fear are inner adversaries and they can limit your potential.
However, with the right mindset, strategies and support, these obstacles can be overcome.
Remember that success in real estate is not just about market knowledge and skills, it’s also about conquering your own doubts and fears.
By embracing self-compassion, setting clear goals, and building resilience, you can unleash your full potential as an agent and achieve the success you deserve.
Forget about what ‘should’ be and open your mind to what ‘could’ be.
