Monday Morning Match is a simple post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.
Where Are You Now
As I write this, I’m somewhere above Lake Michigan as we continue climbing to our 39,000 foot cruising altitude. My Southwest Airlines flight just left Midway airport in Chicago, headed to Philly. I’m on my final business trip of 2019, traveling to Northern New Jersey for an event with good friends and then down to Atlantic City for Triple Play, a large convention for the members of the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania state associations of Realtors. I am looking forward to a great few days on the East Coast, meeting old friends and creating new relationships with industry peers and maybe a few locals along the way.
Everyone has a few sayings or phrases they subconsciously use throughout the year like “Have a great day” or “How’s life?”. The holidays provide seasonal dialogues all year long from “Happy New Year” for the first few weeks and “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” as we near the end of the year. One of my favorite things to say as we get into the 4th quarter of the calendar year is “Finish Strong.” It’s meant as both encouragement and a reminder that our work isn’t finished.
If you’re a sports fan, you’ve seen your share of dramatic comebacks by individual athletes or teams who were behind or losing early in the game only to stay focused, execute the needed skills or plays, and overcome their opponents to win the match, tournament, or game. The best coaches and teams are always making small adjustments to correct mistakes or are doubling down on their strengths and exposing the individual mismatches in order to gain further advantages along the way.
When I ran my one and only marathon 13 years ago in Columbus, the best advice I received from my younger brother (he completed many marathons in his younger days) was “stay focused on a runner ahead of you, keep putting one foot in front of the other until you pass them, and then choose a new target to stay focused on.” I realized you don’t need to wait for the finish line to be visible to be in a position to finish strong. You just needed to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
When I coached little league baseball, we challenged the kids to try to “win every inning.” Basketball and football teams aim to win each possession on their way to winning the game. Hockey players take the ice hoping to excel one shift at a time. In golf, the back nine allows a player to make adjustments from a poor front nine or stay “in the groove” and post a low score. Chapters need to be finished to read an entire novel. Battles are fought on the way to winning the war.
Where Do You Want to Be
We’ve reached the final month of the year and the finish line for 2019 is coming into view. What do you need to do to finish strong? Do you have some deals under contract that need to reach the closing table? How about some of your listings that could use a tactical price adjustment to generate a few more showings and possible offers? Could you wake up earlier each day between now and the new year? Hit the gym? Drink a little more water?
Make one more phone call, send one more email or text each day. Schedule just one more appointment each day. Complete everything on your to-do list. Get a good night’s sleep. Build more relationships, solve a few more problems, and find ways to have a little fun.
It’s time to turn our intensity up, our noses down and get over the finish line with energy, enthusiasm, and momentum for a strong finish.
Show up.
Do what needs to be done.
Become better…on purpose.