The crisis we are facing now has affected every part of our daily lives, and with the lack of definitive answers to help us to see a clear path through to the other side, our peace of mind and resolve are seriously threatened. We are at a point where choices we make now must be intentional so that we can rise above the fear and doubt that inevitably sets in during times ofstress and uncertainty and tap into our inner reserves of strength to find clarity, comfort and hope for the future.
As we know from history, through every adversity, comes immense opportunity. In response to the recent conversations I have had with my coaching clients, I would like to share five of my principal training strategies to help you navigate your business and personal life during this unprecedented time.
These strategies have helped me succeed despite some of the most daunting economic challenges and will afford you the insight to pivot your business and meet your current reality so you can look at the opportunities ahead with a new lens.
Strategy #1 – Master Your Mortgage Mindset
It is easy to get lost in future thinking, to project our fears of the unknown onto our team and our families, and to become overwhelmed with the many challenges of managing a business in this climate. How many of us can identify with the list of challenges below?
- Complete Overwhelm
- Unable to Track & Manage Leads
- Staying Focused
- Elevated Anxiety Levels
- Scarcity Mindset
- Lack of Confidence
- Operational Challenges
- Work from Home with Kids
- Massive Fear About the Future
- Managing Clients Expectations
- Managing Virtual Teams
The truth is that on any given day, we experience approximately 60,000 thoughts, with 50% of those being negative or limiting belief thoughts. We also tend to revisit the same thoughts over and over again, perpetuating this unsettled state of mind and preventing us from focusing on the big picture. Stress becomes so much a part of our inner workings, that we don’t even feel it and it eventually leaks out into habit-control problems.
The first thing to recognize is that fear and hope cannot live in the same space. We must, therefore, BE INTENTIONAL with our thought processes and consciously replace our negative thoughts with new, positive empowering ones. Reminding ourselves that the one thing we have complete and total control over is the power to control our minds and direct our thoughts frees us from the limitations of fearful thinking and allows us to be proactive in how we respond to challenges.
We can all improve the circumstances in our life by making small shifts to master our mindset and develop and sustain a winning attitude. When you find your mind wandering, just keep focusing on pulling it back to the current moment. BE PRESENT in the moment and check in with yourself about what is real right now. Remind yourself that today I am healthy, I am grateful for my home, my children, my friends, my clients and the opportunity to serve more people.
Strategy #2 – Eliminate Your Energy Drainers
Think of energy drainers as that white noise in the background. These energy drainers create anxiety, friction and increase your frustration level. During times of major change and transition, excessive energy drainers can cause us to behave in uncharacteristic and unproductive ways. Energy drainers distract you from your focus because they are always there in the subconscious mind dancing around reminding you, they need your attention.
Some of the most common forms of energy drainers are negative news, negative people, a negative mindset, negative self-talk, and self-defeating habits. These daily stimuli crowd your mind and ultimately jeopardize your innate leadership mentality.
The first step to take in order to regain control of your optimal functioning mindset is to identify the top 5 energy drainers that if eliminated, reduced or resolved could improve the quality of your life. As you recognize throughout the day when those energy drainers pose a threat to your state of calm, consciously shift your attention away from the news, negative people and scarcity thinking and replace negative thinking with healthy affirmations such as “I am healthy and strong” and “I am a capable leader”. Regroup and center yourself by releasing self- defeating habits and being intentional about your choices.
Strategy #3 – Become a Leader in Your Own Life
At this moment, you have a choice as to how you want to define yourself through this crisis. Success is a choice. Use this opportunity to reinvent yourself, to create new habits, new systems, new routines, new ways of doing things. Let go of status quo and identify the steps you need to take in order to become the best version of you.
Ask yourself how can you show up to support your family, your team, your clients and referral partners, your community? Redefine the value you provide to others and become more of a “Go-giver”. Empower yourself with the knowledge that you have the ability to positively influence those around you, and that the actions you take can ultimately result in a successful outcome in the future.
Here are some tactical steps you can take to embrace your leadership potential right now:
- Take action and be courageous
- Take thinking time and PIVOT
- Stay closely connected
- Ask for help and guidance
- Serve the people you are leading
- Embrace patience, compassion, empathy and understanding
- Do the next right thing
Now is the time to rise and lead your family, lead your clients and your team. Playing small serves no one. The world needs leaders who are ALL IN to play big. No excuses.
Strategy #4 – Practice Daily Success Habits & Take Care of You
It has never been more important to nurture your health and wellbeing. But unfortunately, in times like this, our good self-care goes out the window. Discover ways to clear your mind, reduce anxiety, and honor your spirit every day. Leaders with consistent morning practices have a more positive outlook on life and business.
Review how you start the first hour of your day. Are you filling your mind with news and other forms of sensationalism through social media, texts and email updates from friends and family? Or are you instead taking a few moments for yourself to experience calmness, meditate, appreciate the abundance in your life, and start your day with affirmations that will help maintain a positive frame of mind despite all obstacles?
Develop new daily habits for you and establish daily plans for your team so that they have structure to support them. Encourage well-being and daily physical activity for your team by leading from example. Promote your own health and wellbeing by choosing nutrient rich foods, getting enough sleep, supplementing your diet with vitamins, drinking more water and eating less sugar.
We all crave security and strong leadership at times of uncertainty. You have the opportunity to provide both to anyone you engage with on a daily basis. Start by taking care of you so that you can properly “show up” for those who rely on you for support and encouragement.
Strategy #5 – Create Success Habits for Your Virtual Team
Great leaders care about their employees as people first and workers second. Striking a balance between getting things done and operating “business as usual” during a crisis may be the most challenging job of a leader. True leaders can boost morale and best motivate their teams by reminding them of the importance of what they do every day and by expressing their gratitude for that work.
Proven methods to increase employee engagement levels and improve productivity and maintaining an impactful team are:
- Create clarity for your team
- Use video calls on zoom or skype or video conferencing
- Acknowledge your team and show appreciation daily
- Actively engage and interact with each team member
- Do a virtual huddle with your team each morning
- Communicate the top 3 priorities each day
- Remind them what value their contribution provides
Attitude is everything. Let go of negativity. Leaders lead from strength – not from fear. Once you establish a foundation that has been built on a sound structure, clarity of direction, purposeful leadership, and open channels of communication, you can operate from a position of confidence and begin to lay the groundwork for future success after the storm passes.
As I observe the changing world during this unprecedented time, I am reminded of the many hurdles I overcame as a loan originator and leader. There were multiple times when I felt like giving in and accepting defeat. Instead I went in the opposite direction and pushed through my fears and faced the challenges head on, one day at a time. This mindset has helped me achieve the level of success I am so grateful to have accomplished and it is this same mindset that will help you find your way through this crisis to the other side.
To better support you during these challenging times, I created a new Mortgage Survival Guide to help you thrive and not just survive in this uncertain season.
Get your FREE downloadable Mortgage Survival Guide: ‘How to Manage During Challenging Times’ at www.thedefiningdifference.com
