The Emotional Aspects of Working on Your Own

As a real estate agent, you will be on your own. Is that an emotionally healthy thing?

Let's start by examining the benefits of working for yourself.

Asserting your independence will increase your sense of significance as well as your perceived value, and others will perceive you as more valuable as well. This allows you to maintain an optimum level of self-esteem. A person with high self-esteem and a sense of significance has a much greater chance of being successful.

In most circumstances, the more independent you are, the more you're perceived to be worth. Define "worth" however you like; it is not limited to financial success.

The flip side is that you can take it too far. Three things to watch out for when you are striking out on your own are arrogance, jealousy, and believing 'it's all about me'.

1. Arrogance

It takes confidence to head out on your own. However, there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. For many, the line does not even exist. So how do you know when you've crossed it? Different people will call the same person confident or arrogant.

In real estate, you need to learn from everybody and respect that everybody has something worth sharing. At the core of confidence is a certain sense of humility and a willingness to learn from all people, even those who may not be as talented as you are. An arrogant person completely lacks these qualities.

2. Jealousy

You cannot focus on those who have more than you. There always be those with more and those with less. If you are going to look right, then you need to look left as well.

The more successful you become, the more you'll stand out. The more you stand out, the more people will be jealous of you.

This is why you must help people. When you SINCERELY offer to help others, you will focus less on your status among the other agents in the community, and more people will appreciate you.

3. It's All About Me!

"It's all about me" or "I've gotta do everything" syndrome is often a person's attitude when they are trying to prove their significance and value. Someone who is confident in their abilities is happy to share the limelight and the recognition, and is comfortable asking for help.

I know that as a real estate agent you are on your own, but the reality is that no one truly succeeds alone. The most beautiful flowers in the world couldn't grow without the soil, and neither can your business. So maybe the flowers should show some appreciation every now and then-the dirt deserves some love too!

Here are a few tips as you move forward on your own.

• Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses. You can become better at things that you don't do well, but you can become great at things you can do well. Spend the majority of your personal development and self-improvement time working on your strengths and you will stand out for sure.
  
  
• Increase your awareness. Learn as much as possible about the people in your personal environment or in real estate. Then you will be able to highlight the differences between you and them in a positive way.
  
  
• Don't always go with the flow-do something different. Peer pressure is often just as challenging for adults as it is for teenagers, but too much conformity kills individuality. Break or bend the rules every now and then.
  
  
• Ask a few people that you know personally and professionally what makes you different from everyone else they know. You might not like everything they say, but their perception doesn't have to be your reality. Write down what they say and use it to your advantage.