Ask Jim Miller

In this Thanksgiving week edition of Monday Morning Pep Talk, I’m diving into one of the most transformative topics: gratitude. For over a decade, I’ve anchored my mindset around a simple affirmation that begins with, “I am so happy and grateful...” This practice has become a cornerstone of my success and ability to navigate both challenges and opportunities.

In today’s episode, I’ll share the story behind my personal affirmation, why I started using it, and how it’s shaped my mindset and outcomes.

Before we dive in, let me remind you of my professional purpose: to help you, the full-service, full-fee advisor, optimize your productivity and grow into the best version of yourself. Why? Because Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate. I do this by helping you navigate challenges and opportunities every day. As you listen, imagine we’re having a one-on-one coaching session, elevating your approach to life and business.

The Story Behind My Affirmation

In 2010, during a challenging professional season, I realized I needed to sustain a positive mindset to succeed. I turned to Bob Proctor (You Were Born Rich) and John Assaraf (The Answer), who taught me the power of affirmations—intentional declarations that reprogram your subconscious mind and align your thoughts with your goals.

That’s when I created my affirmation, which I’ve repeated tens of thousands of times since. It’s been my guide, grounding prayer, and battle cry through every season of life.

Breaking Down the Affirmation

Here’s how my affirmation is structured:

“I AM”

A declaration of identity and intention.

“So Happy and Grateful”

Reinforces positivity and abundance.

“Money, Success, and Introductions Flow to Me”

Focuses on meaningful connections and personal fulfillment.

“In Ever-Increasing Quantities”

Acknowledges the compounding effect of consistent effort.

“From a Myriad of Different Sources”

Emphasizes openness to opportunities from all directions.

“For the Betterment of All Those Involved”

Grounds success in shared growth and mutual value.

“My Life is Perfect”

A reframing of perfection as perspective.

“Every Day, in Every Way, I’m Getting Better and Better”

Inspired by James Clear, this reflects a commitment to continuous improvement.

The Power of Gratitude

As we approach Thanksgiving, this affirmation reminds me of gratitude’s ability to shift our mindset and attract opportunities. When we consistently maintain a frequency of positivity above 51%, we create alignment for success in life and business.

Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s continue building lives and businesses that are both predictable and enjoyable.

💡 My Most Important Productivity Tool | Monday Morning Pep Talk # 257 ✈️

Welcome to Monday Morning Pep Talk, Episode 257! Today, I’m diving into one of my most essential productivity tools: the daily planner. In an era dominated by technology—AI, calendar apps, and cloud-based CRMs—I fully embrace these digital advancements. Yet, it’s my analog approach to a daily “dress rehearsal” with my planner that brings all these tools together. This simple practice grounds me and aligns my actions with my broader goals in a way that digital tools alone can’t replicate. In this episode, I’ll share why my daily planner remains my most important productivity tool.

Before I jump in, let me remind you of my purpose: to help you, the full-service, full-fee advisor, optimize your productivity and grow into the best version of yourself. Why? Because “Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate.” I do this by helping you navigate the daily challenges and opportunities you face in your business. So as we go through this, imagine we’re in a one-on-one coaching session—focused on elevating your approach.

Let’s get into the reasons why my daily planner is still a game-changer for my productivity:

1. Central Point of Focus: My daily planner serves as the focal point of my day. It’s where I structure and prioritize my tasks. When I’m in deep work mode, you’ll find my planner open right in front of me.

2. Creates a Sense of Satisfaction: Checking off tasks releases dopamine in the brain, leading to a sense of accomplishment. I get more satisfaction from crossing off a task on paper than clicking a box in an app. It’s my daily dopamine drip.

3. A Memorization Tool: Writing down my schedule acts as a mental “dress rehearsal.” Physically writing meetings and tasks helps me remember them, making me more consistent and punctual.

4. Declutters My Mind: Just like clearing a physical space, writing in my planner clears mental clutter. It organizes my thoughts and creates a mindful practice that enhances clarity and productivity.

5. Reduces Stress: Having everything laid out in my planner keeps me calm and in control throughout the day. By following each step, I know I’m on track, and there’s a sense of satisfaction at day’s end when I cross off the last item.

6. A Constant Reminder of My Vision: My planner includes my three-year vision and quarterly goals. Reviewing these commitments daily keeps me aligned with the promises I’ve made to myself.

7. Portability and Ease: My planner is always with me—no login needed, no charging required. It’s simple, cost-effective, and reliable.

You might be curious: Which planner do I use? After testing many options, I landed on the TUL planner. I love its customizable disc-binding system, clean layout, and high-quality paper. It includes monthly and weekly layouts, task lists, goal-setting sections, and ample space for notes.

Question for you: Should I create a Take Flight version of a daily planner? It’s been on my mind for years, and the universe keeps nudging me in that direction.

As we approach 2025, it’s time to level up your daily routines. If you haven’t yet seen my Daily Time Management Form, I’ll link it in my weekly email, or you can download it from askjimmiller.com. This tool complements my daily planner and can help you establish a consistent rhythm.

Have an incredible week ahead! To receive weekly resources, just email me at [email protected] to subscribe. And if at any point the content no longer resonates, you can easily adjust your preferences using the unsubscribe link in each email.

Welcome to Monday Morning Pep Talk, Episode 256! Today, we’re unlocking one of the most powerful habits you can add to your productivity toolbox in 2024: the weekly planning session. While many high achievers have a weekly review, few formalize it as a dedicated practice—and that’s where the transformation begins. This tool will help you win your week with intention, focus, and clarity, setting you up to stay aligned with your goals and make tangible progress.

Before diving in, I want to remind you of my purpose: to help you, the full-service, full-fee advisor, optimize your productivity and grow into the best version of yourself. Why? Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate. My mission is to provide you with strategies for handling the daily challenges and opportunities that shape your business. So as we go through this, imagine we’re in a one-on-one coaching session—here to elevate your approach.

Here’s how to set up a weekly planning session that will revolutionize your productivity and help you “win the week”:

1. Set the Stage for Success – Choose a consistent time each weekend or Monday morning to plan. Find a quiet space, gather your calendar, to-do lists, and templates, and treat this time like an essential meeting with yourself.

2. Reflect on the Past Week – Look back at wins, challenges, and lessons. This helps you pinpoint what worked, where you can adjust, and what to prioritize. Check texts, DMs, and your calendar for anything missed.

3. Organize and Prioritize – A streamlined inbox and to-do list create clarity. Address urgent emails, sort tasks by priority, and clear out clutter. Use the two-minute rule to handle tasks quickly and keep momentum.

4. Set Key Weekly Priorities – With the previous week reviewed, identify specific, impactful goals. Think quality over quantity—focus on actions that align with your big-picture objectives and move you forward.

5. Time Blocking for Intentional Focus – Block out time for top priorities and group similar tasks to reduce distractions. Add buffer time for transitions and breaks to sustain energy throughout the day.

Finally, align your weekly plan with your three-year vision. Review your goals, blocks, and tasks to ensure each week supports your longer-term goals. This weekly planning isn’t just setting up your week—it’s crafting the path that leads you closer to your vision.

For weekly resources and insights, email me at [email protected] to subscribe. And if at any time the content no longer serves you, you can unsubscribe to adjust your focus as needed.

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In this 255th episode of Monday Morning Pep Talk, I’m diving deep into one of my most impactful guiding principles: “High performance starts with elimination.” As @MatthewMcConaughey wisely said, achieving extraordinary results isn’t about doing more—it’s about choosing less with intention. This approach is what sets those who make incremental progress apart from those who achieve exponential growth.

Over time, I’ve discovered that success doesn’t come from cramming your schedule or tackling every opportunity. Real success lies in freeing yourself from low-value activities to create a laser focus on what truly matters. In this episode, I reveal how the “less is more” philosophy can revolutionize your business and life.

Before we dive into today’s call, I want to remind you of my professional purpose: to help you, the full-service, full-fee Advisor, optimize productivity and become the best version of yourself. Why? “Because Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate.” My aim is to teach you how to navigate daily challenges and opportunities effectively. Listen to this as if you’re in a one-on-one coaching session with me.

Today, we’ll explore five key areas where applying “elimination” can jumpstart or maintain the momentum needed to excel as an ELP and super-achiever. These areas include:

1. Prune Your CRM: Remove low-value contacts to focus on your most promising leads.

2. Remove Low Impact, High Cost Items: Identify and cut initiatives that don’t deliver high ROI.

3. Declutter Your Environment: Create a workspace that promotes productivity and clarity.

4. Eliminate Unproductive Habits: Take small steps to replace negative patterns with supportive ones.

5. Clean Up Your Current Pipeline – Inventory Management: Assess your clients and listings to streamline your efforts and maximize results.

Each of these steps is designed to help you “right size” your life and business so you can Fly Light. Protect the progress you make by setting strong boundaries and making decisive choices. Remember, every decision impacts your energy and focus, and as a “happy advisor who sells more real estate,” those decisions are crucial. As @GregMcKeown teaches in Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, success isn’t about doing everything—it’s about focusing on the right things. Simplify your priorities, set clear boundaries, and craft a life and business that aligns with purpose and impact.

Email me at [email protected] to subscribe for more resources, insights, and weekly coaching. Visit my website at www.askjimmiller.com for additional content and updates. If the content becomes overwhelming or no longer serves you, you can unsubscribe anytime.

In this 254th episode of my Monday Morning Pep Talk, I dive into a powerful metaphor I've used for years—the idea of "Thinking Like a Farmer." Farmers embody patience, discipline, and trust in the process, qualities essential for long-term success. This episode reflects on how the lessons from my upbringing in Kearney, Nebraska, and my connection to the farming community have shaped my approach to real estate and life.

🔹 Trust the Process: Farmers put in the work each spring, confident that effort leads to results.

🔹 Practice Patience: Growth takes time—there are no shortcuts to a meaningful harvest.

🔹 Avoid Shortcuts: Consistency and attention to detail are the keys to success.

🔹 Choose the Right Seeds: Strategy is everything—selecting the right opportunities leads to growth.

🔹 Prepare for Every Season: Be ready for ups and downs, storing resources for lean times.

🔹 Live with Purpose: For farmers, it’s not just a job; it’s a calling.

🔹 Stay Grateful: A deep appreciation for the land and process drives farmers season after season.

As you build your business, remember the power of effort, consistency, and patience. Just like planting seeds before a harvest, your work today sets the stage for future success.

Let’s embrace these lessons and have a fantastic week! 🌾

📩 Subscribe for weekly resources by emailing me at [email protected].

On my 253rd episode of my Monday Morning Pep Talk, I will take you through one of the biggest struggles I face as a coach, leader, mentor and that is to convince real estate professionals and entrepreneurs to commit to a 3-Year Vision. It's proven that high achievers are inclined to jump directly to actionable items on their to-do lists, skipping the exercise of creating their "north star." ELPs and super achievers let their 3-Year Version guide their decisions. Today, I will make a serious attempt to reframe how you should look at your goals and vision so your focus will stay on the version of yourself that you want to become.

The struggle I presented in the introduction is real and I see in advisors and entrepreneurs that I coach 1:1 and in group settings. It's a classic case of the brain doing its job, keeping us in the status quo. Your brain does not want you to "think big." I’ve identified ten common challenges, from fear of failure and overwhelm to unclear paths and limiting beliefs. The question becomes "why" and what are the reasons the advisors and entrepreneurs struggle with this process. I identified 10 areas: I turn to Dan Sullivan, with Strategic Coach, for guidance in this area. I've researched his content fully because I absolutely love 3 of the books he's written with Dr. Benjamin Hardy:

"Who Not How"

"The Gap and the Gain"

"10x is Easier than 2x"

I've narrowed down his content into 7 areas that he uses to promote the power of creating and living by a 3-Year Version:

I've been through 4 vision cycles and I can tell you unequivocally, that having lived by this process, my life has changed. The idea of moving toward a version that you can see, feel, taste, smell, and hear does, 100%, provide the daily juice to stay consistent on the things you've committed to creating. If you are finally and fully committed to building out a 3-Year Version, follow the steps that I've used over the years to do my planning:

Intentionally, get out your calendar and pick a day that you will only focus on your 3-Year Version. Yes, you'll need at least 3-4 hours if not 7-8 to fully gain clarity through intentional thought. Identify a location, away from the noise, that inspires you. I recommend doing an overnight stay away from your home. (Yes, it’s that important!). Make it an event every year and especially at the beginning of a 3-year cycle.

I also realize as a coach, leader, mentor, and trainer, that I can't want it more for you than you want it for yourself. All I can do is provide you the research and the tools and today, I feel like, after today's MMPT, you've got what you need to go build your "3-Year Version." Today, I’ve given you the research, the reasons, and the tools. Now, it’s up to you to create your 3-Year Version. Have a great week, team!

🔍 For more resources, check out my website www.askjimmiller.com and follow @AskJimMiller on Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. And don't forget to search @AskJimMiller for more insights!

In this 252nd episode of the Monday Morning Pep Talk, we dive into the essential practice of tracking your progress to achieve your goals. Whether it’s personal, professional, or wellness-related, learning how to "Measure What Matters" is key to success.

I’ll walk you through how creating habits and routines around tracking can lead to meaningful results and help you align your daily actions with your long-term vision. Using real-life examples from health, finance, and life planning, I’ll show you why tracking is critical and how to integrate it into your routine seamlessly.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

1️⃣ Why tracking is non-negotiable for success

2️⃣ How to use your Daily Rhythm to focus on your goals

3️⃣ The importance of a Weekly Meeting with Yourself to stay on course

📅 Action Step: Schedule a recurring weekly meeting with yourself to review your progress and set the tone for the week ahead. Make it a non-negotiable habit in your 2025 plan.

🔍 For more resources, check out my website www.askjimmiller.com and follow @AskJimMiller on Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. And don't forget to search @AskJimMiller for more insights!

On this 251st episode of my Monday Morning Pep Talk, I'll discuss a section I added to the 2025 Business Planning Guide that focuses on your self -development. I felt it appropriate to add Self Development (Personal and Professional Growth) as a section that should be tracked for those that want to achieve at a high level. I did this because it’s been proven that you will only perform at the level of your self -development. You cannot be a 25M, 50M, 100M producer with a 10M level of self- development. I'll dive into my thoughts today on this 251st episode.

On this 250th episode of my Monday Morning Pep Talk, I will discuss the importance of breaking your goals down into bite size, shorter term bursts of action to meet your personal and professional goals. Using this evolved concept I'll discuss today, inspired by the books "The 12 Week Year" and "Traction", the idea of creating a 3 Year Strategic Vision and chunking it down in 12 quarters, chunked further down into 12 weeks per quarter, you can stack goal attainment victories faster than you ever thought possible. Today, I'll take you through the process of how I discovered it, how I use it and how I teach it.

On this 249th episode of Monday Morning Pep Talk, I continue the "Fly Light" series 🕊️, focusing on strategies that deliver predictable ROI for real estate advisors and entrepreneurs 📈. We’ll dive into CRM and relationship management tips that help you authentically connect with clients 🤝. Thoughtful gestures show you care because "You Cannot Automate Thoughtfulness" 💡.

Before we begin, my purpose is to help you, the full-service, full-fee Advisor, maximize productivity 📊 and become your best self 💪. Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate 🏡. I’ll guide you through handling daily challenges with actionable insights that lead to a more fulfilling life 🌟.

💼 Key Focus:

CRM strategy begins with mindset 🧠. Do you just sell homes, or do you help create a lifestyle for your clients? We must shift from a transactional mindset to building lasting value 💬.

The "Next 10" strategy helps you stay connected 🤝 by intuitively selecting 10 people to reach out to from your lists 📋. It’s simple, personal, and can’t be replicated by AI 👥.

📝 Your 5 Lists:

1. Top 100 – Clients who know, like, and trust you 💼.

2. Top 100 Referral Partners – Key partners who introduce you 📊.

3. Warm List – Prospects planning to buy/sell within the year 🕰️.

4. Hot List – Active prospects planning to buy/sell within the month 🔥.

5. Collaborative Brokers – Brokers who share opportunities 💡.

🔄 Tag your clients for personalized engagement:

#relationshipclient 💬 – Open to personal interaction (coffees, dinners, events). #allbusinessclient 📊 – Focused on data and quick responses.

👥 Proven Follow-up Techniques:

1. Share relevant market updates from weekly hot sheets 📈.

2. Seasonal reminders for home maintenance 🏠.

3. Celebrate birthdays 🎂 with personalized notes ✉️ and small gifts 🎁.

4. Acknowledge life milestones via social media 🎉.

Using "The Next 10" helps you maintain engagement with clients, ensuring your relationships feel natural and connected 🔗. Clients are like batteries 🔋—the more often you engage, the more active they remain in your business 💼. Without touchpoints, you risk losing visibility 🔍.

As we approach Q4 🍂, I recommend reading Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara 📖. Focus on fine-tuning your 5 Lists and implementing thoughtful follow-ups. Don’t automate thoughtfulness—make it a core part of your business 🌟.

Watch the video version on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@askjimmiller 🎧

www.askjimmiller.com