“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance – that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” The AA Big Book

You may be wondering why I have started this post with a quote from the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book.  What could that quote possibly have to do with real estate or technology or sales?

Let me tell you.

I spend my days coaching real estate agents.  I work with them on an individual basis for an hour on a variety of topics ranging from prospecting, business development, business planning, technology. life planning and much, much more.

The brokerage that they work for pays my fees and the agents get to have a one on one session with me for absolutely free.

Given my varied 33 plus years of experience in the real estate industry, I bring a lot to the table when I meet with them.

I like to start by listening to what is going on in their business and then moving on to what they would like to accomplish in the coming year.  Once that is done, I like to find out what they have done in the past and what they are currently doing.

By working that way I am able to see where they might have a stumbling block and am able to suggest several different ways that they can move past the blockage.

Here comes the part that justifies the quote above.  In almost every case, my suggestions are met with words to the effect of that won’t work, or they come up with many reasons why it won’t work.  In almost every case!

After we spend more time talking our way through the issue I almost always get them to see how they could do things differently and we move on to laying out a plan to move forward.

In reality, I get them to set aside all of the negativity and accept that they really only need one reason why something could work.

It’s that automatic contempt before investigation that is holding them back.  They think that “know” something that just isn’t true.

So, I am challenging you to pay close attention to the next time that you automatically decide something will never work. When you catch yourself doing that, please stop and look for that one reason why it could work and then execute on that reason.

Let’s make 2020 a great year by setting aside the negative, knee jerk reactions and move towards the positive.

I know that we will all be happier, and more successful too!