Use Intentional Reflection To Optimize Your Decision-Making

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How often do you intentionally reflect on your past and current business practice with the intention of improving and growing?

Too often, people reflect on past decisions and identify “failures,” feeling regret or shame. In the spirited and ever-changing realm of real estate, intentional reflection to use the past as an opportunity for learning and growth offers a powerful opportunity to transform your approach to your real estate business (and life).

As stated in the Harvard Business Review, one should not underestimate the power of deliberate self-reflection. This thoughtful and brave practice allows us to rise to the “top of our game.”

With this approach, intentional reflection allows us to:

• Refocus on the bigger picture and not get lost in the details
• Define and redefine your goals and not get attached to what you thought it “would” or “should” be
• Begin to view your past results through a more neutral lens
• Get honest and clear about what is and isn’t working well
• Identify stresses, strains and energy drains in your business and life (and make changes accordingly)
• As a result, you will experience optimized decision-making, increased confidence, adaptability and a resilience

The case of Cari

Let’s consider Cari, a seasoned real estate agent facing a challenging market shift. During that uncertainty, she chose to turn toward reflection, looking at herself, and evaluating her strategies, goals, and outcomes.

Through introspection, Cari not only clarified her purpose but also realigned her focus on client-centric approaches and understanding what her ideal customer ideally wants. This shift not only built her confidence but also improved her adaptability, which is crucial in navigating the ever-shifting landscape of real estate.

Cari is enjoying her business more than ever because she shows up enthusiastically and inspired every day with a new sense of purpose.

Zoom out and look at your business from another angle

Reflection serves as a powerful tool for real estate agents looking to refine and polish their practices and develop their success. By stepping back and assessing your past experiences, you can gain valuable insights into what strategies are yielding you a return and also what areas require change and refinement.

Think of this reflective process as zooming out to look at your business from a wide-angle lens taking in the full landscape. You will have a deeper understanding of market trends, client needs, your personal strengths, and what it is you need to focus on so that you can make informed decisions and build your success.

When we take the time in our lives to reflect intentionally, we will find clarity in our goals; we will get stronger, more resilient and more adaptable. When we take the time to be open and honest with ourselves and examine both positive and negative outcomes, we can identify patterns, refine our approaches, and pivot when necessary.

This process of taking the time to reflect will cultivate the mindset of continuous improvement.

Putting it into practice

What is next for you? We suggest that as you reflect on the lessons you’ve learned personally and professionally in the past year, take the following actions: 

First, set aside time in the next week to add some intentional reflection time into your schedule

Ask yourself:

• What am I most proud of?
• What were the greatest obstacles I faced?
• Where and how did I feel the most frustration?
• What worked well?
• What needs improvement?
• What goals, plans and projects do I need to reconsider, restructure or reprioritize?
• What support, help or guidance do I need?
• What support, help or guidance have I overlooked or under utilized?

Next, remember to stay open and consider how these insights can shape your approach to real estate going forward.

• How do these obstacles, challenges, wins and insights guide my actions and decision making moving forward?
• How can you make the process of deliberate reflection a habit in your business and life?

Finally, share your findings with your coach, team member or sales manager. Ask for their feedback and how to use this information to create positive change.

You can unlock benefits by embracing reflection as a tool for your growth. From clarifying your purpose, to redefining your goals and cultivating adaptability, this practice will allow you to control the ebbs and flows of your business more smoothly.

As you navigate the complexities of the real estate market, you can look at your business through the lens of continuous growth and improvement and your life lessons as fertilizer so that you may stay at the forefront of the real estate landscape.