Ego and Real Estate Lead Generation

There’s nothing inherently wrong with ego: We all have one and, in many cases, it serves to as self-protection and even a mechanism for success. In fact, success in real estate relies on having a healthy, mature, stable grasp of ego.

But ego run amok is an ugly thing and works to create just the opposite of success. The difference lies in what is healthy self-esteem and what is unhealthy ego. To be clear, ego isn’t about hustling to be the best agent in the office or about making the most money – rather, it’s the inability to listen to others or perceive that we may not always have the right answers.

We can all train ourselves on simple skills to keep our ego functioning healthily and not destructively.

• Practice gratitude.Many of us get stuck in a pattern of thinking about what we don’t have or how much more we want: More clients, more closings. We may look at our colleagues and wish we have what they do. Fact: Steering your brain and attitude towards the good things in life is a great way to get out of our ego and expand away from what we lack. Positive psychological research shows that gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. All of these emotional markers are important for anybody who is playing at a high level in real estate lead generation.

• Take responsibility. Ego can tell us we are victims. But rarely when something goes wrong, be it a failed transaction or personal argument, is one person solely at fault. Recognizing your own role in a situation is a way to assume control and put to rest negative feelings about another person.
• Ask for help. There’s no other instance in which ego rears its ugly head than when we are at a loss for a solution but fail to ask for support lest we be perceived as weak. In fact, asking others to help us is a fantastic way to build support and teamwork. Asking for help humbles us, and humility can be a critical component of a healthy ego structure.
• Embrace the “Why.” Organizational psychologist Simon Sinek suggests that most successful people understand the “why” behind their service. To producing real estate agents embrace the “why.” They approach real estate lead generation believing that the “why” is how they can have an impact on their clients’ lives. Check out our MINDSET BLOG POST for more tips on keep you head in the game.

• Learn from rejection: Let’s face it, our egos HATE rejection! Because rejection is an inherent aspect of real estate lead generation, you need to learn how to not take every NO personally. Keep your emotions in check, take a few deep breaths, and try to gain some learning from any rejection that comes your way. Get more valuable tips from our blog post: EMBRACE REJECTION WITH THESE 8 TIPS.
• Learn from experience. Something will always go wrong. Whether it is or is not your fault is beside the point. The best thing you can do is focus on the experience and how you can avoid the mistakes that led to it in future transactions. Analyze what you did well and where you can make improvement. Remember, you can always learn valuable lessons from every phone call, every meeting and, in particular, every no.
• Choose happy over “right.” Those who have a hard time keeping their ego in check often have an intense need to be right at the expense of their own happiness or contentment. As we touched upon above, it’s easy to focus on “the other” as the source of our failures or frustrations. But more often than not, you’ll find relief by letting go of your need to be right, and fully accepting how life is unfolding.
• Patience is a virtue.In our business, there are no quick fixes or magic bullets to success, yet it’s easy to become frustrated and ego-driven when we don’t find immediate success. But, don’t assume your technique is wrong and change tactics. Assuming you are using proven tools of the trade, take a deep breath and continue honing your skills. Check out our blog on BEING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT for more valuable insights on being patient and focused.

There’s no place for unhealthy ego in a business as relationship driven as real estate, for an overactive ego is a sure way to alienate both colleagues and customers. Take a few minutes each day to remember you don’t, and won’t, be the answer to every problem, and you will gain some humility to balance your ego.

If you aren’t currently an Espresso Agent client, you’re missing an opportunity to drive your business by using the BEST DATA in the business.