As Hurricane Sandy ripped through my area of coastal Connecticut last week, I watched as houses were flooded and many were left without power for what would be several days. I thought about the connection between this event and an article I wrote two weeks ago titled, “Nobody Can Drive You Crazy Unless You Give Them the Keys.” The article talked about how powerful your state of mind is in your business and quoted a study that showed that out of the top 100 salespeople in the world, the No. 1 common denominator that they shared was “the ability to manage or control their own state of mind.”
Storms like Sandy, or sometimes any bad weather, can often take a negative toll on one’s state of mind. As a keynote speaker I travel a lot, which is to say that more than once I have had to take off or land in a plane in less-than-desirable conditions.
And while it may be cold, rainy and cloudy outside, my favorite moment during these bad-weather flights is when after flying through the rain and dreariness, the moment comes when the plane breaks through the clouds and suddenly you see the sun in all its glory. It is a great reminder that regardless of what weather your area may be experiencing, the sun is always out; it’s just a matter of you recognizing that or rising above the clouds so that you can see it. In the end, it is really just perspective.
To expand on my previous article regarding the importance of your state of mind, here’s a question for you: Have you experienced storms in your life that have affected your ability to focus on the job and have altered your state of mind in a negative way? If so, that is where the power of focus comes in handy. You will outwardly express whatever it is that you focus on. For example, if you listen to a depressing song, you will most likely feel depressed. On the other hand, if you listen to an upbeat song, your mood will remain upbeat. If you focus on the clients that drive you nuts, you will feel stress and anger. And if you focus on the storm that is occurring in your life, literally or figuratively, you will feel a sense of chaos and anxiety, and these emotions do not add to the positive experience that your clients want to have in working with you.
Remember, whether it is raining or snowing or even if you find yourself sitting in the middle of a hurricane, the sun is still shining. You may just have to change your perspective or break through the clouds to see it.
Jared James is the CEO and Founder of Jared James Enterprises, an internationally sought-after speaker and trainer. James built one of the fastest-growing real estate teams in the country, was inducted into the International Hall of Fame for one of the world’s largest real estate companies and wrote a best-selling book—all before the age of 28. As an acclaimed speaker, James keynotes events for major real estate organizations and conducts regular webinars and training for nationally known organizations like NAR, CRS, Yahoo Real Estate, Trulia and Zillow Academy and blogs regularly for RISMedia.
To stay in touch with Jared James, visit www.facebook.com/jaredjamestoday and www.twitter.com/jaredjamestoday or visit his website at www.jaredjamestoday.com.
