Dave Panozzo is the co-founding owner of The Panozzo Team-HomeSmart, a real estate team in Phoenix, Arizona.
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In 2012 I hit a turning point in my life, I had big dreams to be a successful serial entrepreneur with a healthy lifestyle and a loving relationship, but that year I struggled. My businesses were failing, and my marriage was on the brink of divorce. To top it off, I realized that I had become an alcoholic. It was also a moment that showed me how off track I was from reaching my dreams. I learned three very important lessons from that pivotal point in my life that can be applied to your life. Whether you are in a sink-or-swim situation like I was in 2012 or just simply feeling off track, these three tips will help you get so much closer to turning your business dreams into goals and your goals into reality.
You Can’t Do It Alone
Human beings are naturally social creatures. Our reptilian brain programs us to crave comfort and seek safety in numbers. If you are off track from hitting your goals, it’s time for you to get an accountability buddy or coach who will be with you from the beginning until the end. The first thing to consider when looking for your ideal accountability partner is how successful that person is compared to your current life situation and whether that person has the lifestyle you want to emulate.
Make sure the person you choose to be your mentor or accountability partner is well-rounded and has success not only in their real estate business, but also in their relationships and health, and make sure they align with your core values. I was at the lowest point of my life when I began searching for a mentor and accountability partner and was haunted by feelings of uncertainty, doubt and imposter syndrome. It wasn’t until I reached out to a handful of potential coaches that I realized asking for help is OK, and being embarrassed to ask for help was getting in my way of finding life-changing solutions. I realized timidity was holding me back from reaching my dream, and successful people genuinely appreciate when other people ask for their help or advice. I was no longer afraid to ask for help because I realized people love to help other people. I reached out to many individuals before finding the right person to follow my journey and help further my personal and business development.
Schedule Everything From A To Z
One of the very first things my mentor helped me realize early in my journey was that having an empty schedule was like placing a “vacant” sign on my life, allowing anything or anyone to move in and influence my daily activities. It wasn’t until I filled my calendar by the hour to time block workouts, meals, meetings, birthdays and events that I realized why failing to plan was like planning to fail.
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If you want to be in control of everyday habits, it’s important to schedule even your most mundane activities, such as getting ready for bed. After all, if you are organized in business, why can’t you be organized in your personal life? If you are old-school like me, you can use a hardcover day planner, and if you are tech-savvy, you can use a digital calendar that will send you automatic reminders or allow you to invite others to events. Whether you choose your phone calendar or a paper planner, you should use a whiteboard to visually display your calendar as a daily reminder of business deliverables and personal development. By having your calendar on a large display somewhere, you’ll see it often, allowing even the mundane tasks to return to the forefront of your mind and prevent you from forgetting important deadlines. To ensure you never miss an assignment, be sure to schedule reminders on your phone with an alarm so that you never miss a beat, even if an unexpected turn of events happen.
Journaling Yourself To The Next Level
If you have never journaled before, try the Five Minute Journal or a custom EVO journal to get started. Journaling can open a whole new world as you put pen to paper and list the things you are grateful for, positive affirmations, goals and tracking daily progress. Keep it simple by journaling for just five minutes of your day. You can write what you are looking forward to accomplishing in your business each day by writing daily intentions. By doing this, you’ll be beginning or ending your days with mindfulness and proactiveness, and you will have outlined daily action steps toward your goals. Not only will journaling bring intentionality into your life, but it can be used as a physical log of where you’re going and how far you’ve come. When I began journaling back in 2014, I realized the days I journaled at the start of my day were my most successful. No one is perfect, so if there are days you miss journaling, get back on track, and continue the habit.
Getting Back On Track
When I was at the lowest point of my life, I got myself on track by using the three tips above, and if I can do it, so can you. Find yourself a coach. Schedule everything in your calendar, and journal every step of the way. Then watch as you organize your days better, maintain motivation and live with intention.
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