Ah, Faith. When things are going well and you are following your bliss and in the flow, it's easy to know you are doing the right things with your life. But what happens when the results are not what you want? When there is lots of work and struggle to get ANY result? When others question your plan, your competence or your sanity? Can you still stay committed to your goals with intention?

Real estate is a difficult business because you wake up each day unemployed and usually have no idea where the next client is coming from. Faith is prevalent, though, in those who can stay in this business and make a success of their careers. Just as we can get impatient after planting seeds in the garden when there is no sprout coming through the dirt...I love the story of the Mom who found her young son in the garden a few days after they had planted seeds digging them up. When she asked him why he was doing that, he said,"to see if they were growing." It's hard to have faith when we can't see a result.

My coach reminded me the other day that the real measure of whether you were being true to yourself and your values was the actions you took when things were not working. Did I have the fortitude to stay the course only on faith when things were not going well?

Now, I present this, because I hear from many of you the questioning of am I in the right profession when business has been slow. Or thinking some other actions need to be taken when consistent, repetitive contact with a sphere hasn't produced a lead this month. It reminds me of a client a worked with a few years ago. I had asked her to call all the clients in her database. It was November and then December. She complained after a few weeks of having nice conversations that it was a waste of time because she had not gotten 1 piece of business. Then in January....she got 6 listings from people she had talked to!

If you are taking the right actions, having faith is important. It is also important to monitor your internal conversations about what is happening. The more you fear or focus on the scarcity, the longer the period seems to last. What you focus on expands. Keep taking those actions, focus on the positives, trust yourself and have faith. Often, this is when to apply the other "F" word: (oh no, not that one....) the FUN word. Lighten up, get out and just connect with as many people as you can and you'll stir up that cosmic dust and good things will happen.

Take action and then let go of forcing things. Trust yourself. The result may not look the way you have envisioned it either. Don't let that discount the results!

On a personal note: This newsletter has been a place where I have shared some of the life challenges that I have faced and I have truly needed to have trust over the past few years. I have shared problems and what I have learned in hopes that it has, at times, given some of you insights for your own life and challenges. Right now, life is sweet in my world and I am, oh so, grateful! I want to share the good too, so here's a brief update:

My coaching practice is close to full. I am doing many great speaking engagements and even a bit of real estate (for my son,the investor). I am having a blast this year in creating each day to be extraordinary and the first four months of the year have delivered that!

Perhaps one of the most important things: We are all healthy!

My sandwich generation family:

My 86 year old Dad is living independently and is well despite losing most of his sight to macular degeneration.

My daughter, Dawn, celebrates 2 years this month of recovery that seems to finally have given her peace and balance to her bi-polar problems. This one certainly tested the "faith" principle after 4 tries at rehab, but they say each time brings one closer to a good result..just like the people who try to quit smoking. But there were days that keeping the faith was hard when there was no evidence of change. These days, Dawn is working as a certified massage therapist after a year of study and is gaining self-confidence with a profession that seems to nurture her while she nurtures others.

My granddaughter, Lily, is 3 1/2 now and a delight. We've moved from being primary caretakers to being able to "give her back" to her Mom and be more traditional grandparents.

Son, Richard, just bought hundreds of acres of land that had been homesteaded by his great grandparents in Benson AZ and will be busy developing it. He also continues to rehab houses in the hot Tucson market. It keeps my real estate skills updated as I help him with his deals.

Husband, Bub, continues to be my rock and the person who always makes me laugh when I get too serious!!!

And my stepdaughter, Coco, is working on transforming the world with her coaching company and an upcoming book on Trust! We are looking forward to her wedding in the Catskills this summer.

I am hugely grateful to have all these wonderful people in my life, teaching me lessons and sharing their spirits with me. I am also full of gratitude to you, dear reader, for coming to my seminars, reading my newsletter and being part of my life and community in all the various ways we are connected. Thank you.

Last month I asked you to assess where you were at the end of the 1st quarter and make the course corrections necessary to be on track by the end of the 2nd quarter.

Even when we know what we should be doing for future business, we often let the petty distractions and the current business activity sidetrack us. Many of my current coaching clients are blessed right now with strong activity in their markets and are very busy just keeping up with the sellers, buyers and leads they have. But, as one mentioned to me this week, in 3-6 months it may not be this way and it probably won't if the actions to generate future business aren't being incorporated consistently now.

The calls and notes you write now are the ones that will result in your business next quarter. If you drop this out, that old roller coaster will start downhill and you'll find you are starting from the bottom to push the car back up the hill.

I know you know this. And, I know many of you are overwhelmed by the present and can not even think of adding the prospecting to your daily activities. My question to you is what is the opportunity cost of what you are NOT doing???? And, are you doing things, still, that should be delegated to a Virtual Assistant or Transaction Co-ordinator?

Whatever has to happen for you to be able to take consistent actions for future business as well as handle the current business is one of the most important discoveries you can make. Then the implementation of those people and systems are the path you your growth!

COACHES CHALLENGE:

1. Take an hour this week and plan your prospecting for the rest of the 2nd quarter

2. Review your current marketing plan (you did create one, didn't you? it's not too late)

• Are you consistently reaching your target market, your sphere and past clients?
• Have you segmented your database so you have an "A" list of those 20% that will likely provide you 80% of your future business and referral?
• Do you contact these people by phone quarterly and in person twice a year?
• Do you have a specific plan for prospecting each of your niches?
• What, if anything, is new in the marketplace that you should addressing to stay dominant in your niche markets since you designed your 2005 business plan 4 months ago?

3. Schedule in your calendar appointments on a weekly basis to make your calls, write your notes and see your people. Time block these at times when you won't be tempted to drop them out. First thing in the morning or on certain evenings when you aren't pulled into the distractions of the day. Schedule this time when your body rhythms are at their best for peak results

There is plenty of time to create 2005 as your best year ever! Be extraordinary this year! It's up to you.

I've mentioned this before, but the folks that have ordered it and are using it, LOVE it!!! So I thought I'd mention it in case you missed it the first time.

This one of the best little tools on the market. For a one time charge of $24.97, you get rights to download, reproduce and personalize this great book PLUS for a limited time, you also get 2 extras: Moving With Kids and Moving with Pets!

Whether you use them to give you an edge in getting the listing or as a value give away for prospecting FSBO's....this will be the best $25 you spend this month! Click the title for more information and to order.

And, if you are into books....I have a wonderful chain letter to share with you that resulted last year in my sending out 1 book (and 6 letters to others) and getting 8 in return (it says you should get 36, but even 8 was fun) Just email me and I'll send you a copy if you'd like to play!!!!

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I just audited the new PMN Course: The Business of Your Business and it fills a need, I believe for those who are experienced agents that are ready to ratchet it up a notch! If you'd like to bring this class into your area, or one of the other PMN Classes on Negotiating or Networking, I’d love to come present in your area.Whether you need a keynote, like Staying Sane in an Insane World! or a half or full day session, I have offerings to inspire and motivate.

If your group, association or company is looking for a high energy speaker with a fresh perspective, please contact me.….I am booking now for 2005.

For a list of my current topics, visit www.joeann.com/seminars.html

If you'd like to save some money and piggyback on an engagement I already have, check my schedule at www.joeann.com/schedule.htm.