Gold medal habits: How Olympians’ winning strategies can transform your real estate career

All gold medallists excel at one crucial skill: creating habits.

They identify what they need to master to become the best in the world, transform it into a habit, make it automatic, and then move on to the next challenge. 

This process is not exclusive to athletes; it’s a strategy that can be applied in any profession, including real estate.

James Clear’s Atomic Habits shares the story of the British cycling team, who achieved global dominance through a series of small, intentional practices. 

They painted the floors of their team truck pristine white to spot dust, which could wear out their bikes. 

They wore heated shorts to maintain their muscle temperature and taught each rider the best way to wash their hands to reduce the risk of catching colds. 

These seemingly minor adjustments all combined and contributed to their success.

Imagine if you could get 2 per cent better every week. 

In a year, you would be three times better! 

This principle of incremental improvement is powerful and can be applied to your real estate career.

Once you’ve identified the next small change you need to make to succeed, BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits offers a simple three-step formula for building new habits:

1. Identify your anchor moment: This could be an existing routine, such as brushing your teeth, or an event, like your phone ringing. For Olympic kayaker Jess Fox, it’s when she’s disappointed with her performance.
2. Take a tiny action: This should take less than 30 seconds. For example, doing two push-ups immediately after the anchor moment.
3. Celebrate instantly: To wire the new behaviour into your brain, give yourself some form of affirmation, like a mental high-five.

After taking the gold medal in the K1 slalom final in Paris, Jess Fox shared how she used this habit-building strategy in her training. 

After narrowly missing gold in Tokyo and qualifying slower than her #1 ranking for the final in Paris, her habit kicked in. 

Her anchor moment is disappointment. 

Her tiny action? 

Playing Wordle. 

Engaging in this tiny action – playing Wordle – on the day of the final gave her a small, but quick, win.

The impact of this was generating positive energy, which allowed her to bounce back stronger.

In the unpredictable world of real estate, where market conditions can change rapidly, building habits is essential.

For example, with interest rates potentially moving up, sideways, or down, the impact on your work can be significant. 

Coupled with personal challenges, such as managing a busy family life, maintaining a routine can be tough. 

Yet, habits can make key behaviours automatic, helping you stay on track.

Here are some habits that I’ve found beneficial and the anchor moments they’re linked to:

• Staying physically fit: I don’t start work before 8 am. This allows me time to exercise and listen to podcasts or audiobooks if my kids aren’t awake yet. This routine helps me stay fit and mentally sharp.
• Growing my and Domain’s profile in the industry: I post on LinkedIn at least once a week and keep a draft document of my next post. This habit ensures consistent visibility and engagement with my professional network.
• Building my leaders: I have a professional development conversation with each of my team members at least once every two months. This habit fosters growth and strengthens our leadership team.

As you navigate the dynamic real estate industry, consider how you can incorporate new habits into your routine. 

Start by identifying small, actionable steps that align with your goals. 

Whether it’s improving client communication, staying updated with market trends, or enhancing your negotiation skills, incremental changes can lead to significant improvements over time.

For instance, if you want to enhance your client relationships, your anchor moment could be the end of each client meeting. 

Your tiny action might be sending a quick follow-up email summarising the discussion and next steps. 

Celebrate instantly by acknowledging the satisfaction of providing excellent service. 

This habit will not only improve client satisfaction but also build your reputation as a reliable and attentive agent.

As we cheer on our athletes in the Olympics, take a moment to celebrate the great habits you already have. 

Reflect on how these habits have contributed to your success and consider any new ones you can adopt. 

Remember, it’s the small, consistent actions that lead to significant achievements.

By embracing the power of habits, you can enhance your performance, stay ahead of industry changes, and achieve your professional goals. 

So, what new habit will you start today?