Start With A Win

Show Notes:

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam describes the first aspect of commitment: attitude. Commitment paves the road to success and happiness, transforming promise into reality and building character, and just as an attitude of commitment helps you start with a win, it enables you to continue winning.

A lot of what goes into the attitude of commitment is the decision to do something and overcoming the fear of failure, because failure is just the beginning. By establishing why you are doing something or reaching for a certain goal, you are able to cultivate the willpower you will need to see it through. This mindset shift opens the door to small changes and improvements that can help you fulfill your purpose and master the task at hand. 

Adam challenges listeners to sit down and write your “why” for the main things they are focused on. Then take each of those “whys” and ask yourself “why” 6 times until you get down to the true motivation or emotion that is propelling your decisions and actions. This ultimate “why” transcends logic and helps you understand more about yourself and your purpose.

Links:

Urban Dictionary definition of “commitment”: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=commitment

“Start with Why” by Simon Sinek: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550070277&sr=8-1&keywords=the+power+of+why 

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On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, we hear the final installment of Adam’s interview with RE/MAX Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Dave Liniger. Over the past 46+ years, RE/MAX has lived through many transitions, economic swings, technological advances, and generations of homeowners. During that time, Dave and his team have often been called “disruptors” to the real estate industry because of their innovative thinking and structuring of their organization, but this name has always served them well. By having an open and curious mindset, Dave has been able to navigate the organization through many ups and downs, and he has gone from earning $95 per month in his military days to being a billionaire. 

One of the key concepts that Dave has used throughout his life is his intentional planning of his goals and taking the small steps along the way to get there. He talks about the concept of “the three boxes” and the necessity to integrate learning, earning, and yearning into every stage of life. He is not afraid to say “no” or to listen to the ideas of anyone who has a good one.

Dave’s top 3 business lessons are:

1. Personal development – Never stop learning: read more books, attend more seminars, and watch less television.
2. Personal associations – Seek out diversity and inclusiveness in your relationships.
3. Personal balance – Balance does not always happen, but you will make time for what is important.

Links:

“The Three Boxes of Life” by Richard Bolles: https://www.amazon.com/Three-Boxes-Life-How-Them/dp/0913668583 

“The Four Burners” by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/four-burners-theory 

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During part 2 of Adam’s conversation with RE/MAX Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Dave Liniger, Dave discusses the foundations of RE/MAX and how these concepts can be applied to business and personal pursuits. In October 1975, RE/MAX had its first cash flow positive month, and Dave and Gail finally felt that the company was stable enough for them to start taking paychecks. One of the key components of their successful business was the environment that they had created, which allowed agents and brokers to flourish and set up a trustworthy system of leadership when Dave had to be away for several months to take care of Gail after her serious plane crash.

The key concepts that Dave set up early on were: (1) product, (2) brand/market share, (3) group purchasing, and (4) unique training programs. It was also during this time that they began franchising and setting up regions within the company, which provided them a way to manage their growth while still keeping the brand cohesive.

Dave emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with people who will challenge you and make you a better person, and he references Jim Rohn’s thoughts on the subject. He continues by saying that it is important to stay focused and be a disruptor, always paying attention to changes in the market and being willing to change in response.

Links:

Jim Rohn: https://www.jimrohn.com/ 

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Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Ryan Harris, husband, father, author, speaker, and 10-year NFL veteran who won the Super Bowl with the 2015 Denver Broncos. Ryan is a huge advocate of building your mindset and then putting in the work needed to get better or grow. He has used the phrase “I am, I can, I will” throughout his life to push himself to overcome and accomplish whatever is in front of him. 

It might sound counterintuitive, but Ryan says that your goal is not the most important thing to work towards. In fact, it is critical to develop your mindset and set up your system for reaching goals, because this system will outlive any of your goals and if it is effective, it will help you crush more goals than you ever dreamed you could achieve. Like many athletes, Ryan welcomes failures because he sees them as opportunities for learning and growth, encouraging him to improve and succeed the next time.

Ryan has been very encouraged by “The Man in the Arena” speech by President Theodore Roosevelt when it comes to facing public scrutiny, and he is constantly reminding himself that internal validation is more gratifying than external praise. He recognizes that the key component of the Broncos’ 2015 Super Bowl win was their passion for the details throughout the season and the game, and he applies that passion to his speaking, broadcasting, and parenting.

Links:

“Mindset for Mastery” by Ryan Harris: https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Mastery-Champions-Reaching-Greatness-ebook/dp/B07JB8P7QB 

“The Man in the Arena” speech by Theodore Roosevelt: http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html 

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Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is RE/MAX Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Dave Liniger. Dave got his start in real estate by flipping houses to earn some extra money while he was stationed with the military in Arizona. He soon decided to get his real estate license in order to save some money on his house flipping, and he observed the activity of the other agents. When his time with the military was completed, he moved to Denver and applied for real estate jobs. He worked with agencies that used the 50%/50% concept and the 100% concept, and he realized that he liked elements of both setups.

He soon decided to create his own company with the goal of becoming a worldwide real estate agency which would combine the freedom of a 100% agency and the stability of a 50%/50% agency in the best possible way, and in January 1973, his dream was born. Most real estate agents at that time were white-haired men, but Dave was an advocate for recruiting women to be agents, despite the prejudices of the industry. This model worked very well for RE/MAX, and by the end of the 5th year, 80% of the agents were women and RE/MAX was #1 in Colorado in listings, sales, and commissions.

When it came to naming the company, Dave didn’t like the idea of using his own name. The idea of “real estate maximums” came up during a brainstorming session, and the team decided to shorten it to RE/MAX to be more catchy while still keeping the heart of the concept. In those early years, there were many sleepless nights and very few days off, but their hard work paid off and they were able to meet their goals. 

Dave’s main challenges of lack of management ability and resistance to the basis of the company from the rest of the industry were overcome by the institution of effective systems and processes. Dave also surrounded himself with the best team he could and made sure that they all focused on being persistent and purposeful.

Links:

Dave Liniger’s Bio: https://www.remax.com/newsroom/company-info/officer-bios/board-of-directors-of-remax-holdings-inc/dave-liniger-chairman-and-co-founder.htm 

Connect with Adam:

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On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam and Mark discuss the goals and resolutions that so many people are going to start in the beginning of 2019. Did you know that it takes an average of 10 attempts before your resolution will stick? This does not have to be the case. In order to have SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals, it is important to avoid these common mistakes:

1. Too vague – Saying that you “want to get healthy” is not helpful in the scheme of things because you have not done the upfront planning to make a goal worth accomplishing. A good way to make sure that your goal is not too vague is to tell people about it so they will hold you accountable.
2. Too boring – If you are not excited about your goal, then you are not going to put in the work to make it happen. Set up a system of routine and reward for yourself and perhaps take advantage of goal-stacking to multiply your efforts.
3. Too easy – Setting a goal that is too easy does not really count as a goal. You should feel gratified after completing it, and it should be a bit of a challenge.
4. Overwhelming – Many people say that they want to “lose 60 pounds in 2019” or “save $5,000 by the end of the year”, but these goals are so large that they seem unattainable. Try making your goals more bite-sized like “lose 5 pounds in January” or “only eat out once per week and save the excess.”
5. Easily forgotten – It isn’t helpful to anyone if you set an arbitrary goal just to say you have set a goal. You will benefit the most by setting goals that are related to your daily life.

By eliminating these variables from the equation, you set yourself up to accomplish your goals.

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On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam outlines the six steps to dealing with chaos:

1. Clear your mind. Take a deep breath and try to relax, which will prepare you to see the situation objectively.
2. Assess the situation. Lift your head up from the situation right in front of you and look around. Remember that you have the capacity within yourself to find the solution.
3. Revisit your goals. Ask yourself if this chaotic situation aligns with one of your goals; if it doesn’t, you should remove yourself from the situation. 
4. Apply your systems. Refer back to the processes you have prepared for this very moment. Maintain forward momentum by sticking to the plan.
5. Execute. Don’t let fear paralyze you from taking action. Start chipping away to experience growth.
6. Appreciate. Being grateful for your life will provide you with the motivation to execute, and executing will provide you with more motivation.

Links:

Mr. Rogers bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Rogers 

Connect with Adam:

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On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with us about what he calls “mastering the art of showing up.” He says that today started yesterday and tomorrow starts today, and while the day’s tasks may seem monumental when viewed collectively, tackling them a step at a time is the best system to set up for yourself. Today, you can plan and prepare for the successes you are going to have tomorrow, from exercising to meetings at work to interactions with your fellow drivers to making the most of your time with your family. Find ways to eliminate excuses and commit to starting whatever is ahead of you by having a winning attitude.

Specifically, in the morning, get up and away from your bed as soon as the alarm goes off. You will find that after a few weeks of waking up at the same time, your brain will get in the routine and you will be more mentally prepared to get up. Once you are up, your momentum is rolling and it is simple to put on the clothes you set out the night before and make it out the door for work or to go to the gym. These “micro-commitments” that you choose to make throughout the day will result in amazing productivity and the determination to do the same tomorrow.

Links:

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear – https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1544404331&sr=8-3&keywords=atomic+habits+james+clear 

“Good to Great” by Jim Collins - https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544404356&sr=8-1&keywords=good+to+great+by+jim+collins 

Connect with Adam:

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Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is James Schwartz, Marketing Director of RE/MAX corporate. With 19+ years in the marketing and real estate industries, James has learned how to connect with consumers during many new waves of technology and he is using his expertise to serve RE/MAX and also speak to agents across North America about their marketing efforts. 

Referring to the current technological environment, James says that there are lots of tools and platforms available to anyone who will take the time to learn them, but it takes a bit of finesse to use them effectively. It is crucial to remain focused on the consumer’s wants and needs and meet them where they are. Just because you have something to say doesn’t mean that you should blast that message to all of your communication channels. Whereas the number of touchpoints prior to action before the digital age was 3-5, companies and agents now have to achieve 20-30 touchpoints before an action is taken. This emphasizes the importance of keeping the message consistent, catchy, and – of course – consumer-focused.

The area of digital communications that really excites James right now is the capability of monitoring and remarketing to the consumer via their digital footprint. Consumers are skeptical of “data mining” until they encounter a company who uses their data ethically and anticipates their needs, which makes their lives easier in the end. For a real estate agent, a consumer’s data can be helpful because it would allow the agent to know when they have changed jobs, gotten married, had a baby, or may be considering downsizing their home. This provides the opportunity for the real estate agent to become part of the consumer’s “tribe” and a built-in lifelong relationship, rather than a one-and-done.

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-schwartz-21798718 

https://martechtoday.com/library/what-is-martech 

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

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On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, our topic is relationships and their impacts on our world. Relationships are the basis for everything we do, and everything we do impacts our relationships, either by building up and investing in them or by losing from them. If you do not invest enough in your “relationship bank”, you wins will be minimal or nonexistent and you will not be able to reach your potential, no matter how hard you try.

Dale Carnegie talked about the power of positive affirmation and giving honest and sincere appreciation to those around you. That is a lost art, especially at work. Showing appreciation to your employees or coworkers and giving them the recognition they deserve costs nothing, but people tend to lock it away like it costs everything they have. Those who find true success in their relationships are intentional about appreciating and engaging with their community, and they find that those things are often reciprocated back to them. Though it might not be an immediate reciprocity, the idea of paying it forward can have a powerful effect on society when it catches on. By giving unconditionally and letting go of the desire for instant gratification, we can accomplish anything.

Your challenge after listening to this episode is to go do something great for somebody today.

Links:

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie - https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1544402926&sr=8-3&keywords=how+to+win+friends+and+influence+people+by+dale+carnegie

Giftology by John Ruhlin - https://www.amazon.com/Giftology-Increase-Referrals-Strengthen-Retention/dp/1732095604/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1544402989&sr=8-2&keywords=giftology+john+ruhlin 

Connect with Adam:

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https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/