Something I believe very strongly is the thing that stops a great life is a good life. This is a slight reword of how Jim Collins opened his book "Good to Great" - "Good is the enemy of great".
It's true. When you're firmly ensconced on the comfy couch of life, what incentive is there for you to do anything differently? It's a lot less hassle to stay on the couch, binge watching whatever, and not put yourself out there, taking a risk.
And that's why you have to Know Your Why.
Okay, so for a lot of you the light bulb has already gone off, but if you haven't come across the expression "Know Your Why" before, let me explain.
"Know Your Why" means to understand the reasons behind your actions, goals, or aspirations. It's about identifying the deeper purpose or meaning behind what you do, and using that as a powerful motivator. When you have a clear understanding of why something is important to you, it becomes easier to stay focused, overcome obstacles, and maintain resilience in the face of challenges.
So how does that matter to you as a property developer? Simple. Plenty of spruikers love to flash up pictures of fancy cars and houses, and at the same time aim to convince you that you can make squillons of dollars overnight with no effort whatsoever... as long as you pay them what they're asking for their course or product.
The key point here is that they make it sound like there's no work involved - and that's just BS (trying to keep it G-rated folks!). Being a developer takes work. Sure, your team will do a lot of that work for you, but you still need to put in some hard yards yourself.
And that's the point at which you need motivation to get out of bed in the morning and get stuck in. Or when you get home from a long day at work, kids finally in bed, and the temptation to crash in front of Netflix is huge - but you sit at your computer and continue your research.
If you don't have a reason, or a WHY to motivate you, it's far too easy to just say "I'll do it tomorrow". One day becomes two, and before you know it months have gone by and you've made no progress at all.
Instead, when the "do it tomorrow" feeling hits you, what you need to do is go right back to your Why and remind yourself what's important to you in life, which will then motivate you to sit down and start doing the next task on your to-do list.
Reality is, knowing your Why taps into intrinsic motivation, which is the internal drive that comes from personal satisfaction, fulfilment, or a sense of purpose. Intrinsic motivation tends to be more sustainable and enduring in comparison to external rewards or pressures.
By focussing on your why, you know that every hour of work you put in is one step closer to achieving it. When you know exactly what you want to achieve and why it matters to you, it becomes easier to stay committed and motivated. It's all about clarity of purpose.
When faced with obstacles or setbacks, knowing your why helps you stay resilient. You're more likely to persevere through difficulties when you're deeply connected to the underlying purpose driving your actions.
Hopefully by now I'm preaching to the converted and you're sold on the idea of having a Why to get you motivated. If it still feels a bit woo-woo to say "Know Your Why" then you're welcome to call it a BHAG - a Big Hairy Audacious Goal.
Because honestly? You're going to need a lot of motivation over a reasonable period of time to get a development through the full process from start to finish. So if your goal is small or easily achievable, you might find yourself mid-project having run out of puff.
You Why, or goal, needs to stretch you. It should align with your core values and beliefs. When your actions are in harmony with your values, you experience a sense of authenticity and fulfilment, which reinforces your motivation.
Also it usually works best if you have a pull goal, rather than a push goal.
Okay, I know what you're about to ask - what the heck am I talking about? Think about goals. Some goals make you feel like you're leaning up against a boulder pushing really hard to get the boulder moving. That's a push goal.
A pull goal is one that drags you along, giving you the incentive to keep moving in order to reach it.
Which of those sounds easier and more enjoyable? Maybe if you're a masochist you might pick the seemingly endless hard work of pushing that boulder, but me? I'd rather feel like something is helping me by pulling me along to what I want to achieve.
So spend some time making sure you frame your Why in a way that pulls you towards it. This sense of purpose can fuel your motivation by reminding you of the difference you're striving to make.
In essence, knowing your Why provides a deep-rooted sense of purpose and meaning that can drive and sustain your motivation over the long term. It's about connecting to what truly matters to you and leveraging that connection to propel yourself forward in pursuit of your goals and aspirations.
And that's why it's one of the killer traits of mega successful developers.
It's true. When you're firmly ensconced on the comfy couch of life, what incentive is there for you to do anything differently? It's a lot less hassle to stay on the couch, binge watching whatever, and not put yourself out there, taking a risk.
And that's why you have to Know Your Why.
Okay, so for a lot of you the light bulb has already gone off, but if you haven't come across the expression "Know Your Why" before, let me explain.
"Know Your Why" means to understand the reasons behind your actions, goals, or aspirations. It's about identifying the deeper purpose or meaning behind what you do, and using that as a powerful motivator. When you have a clear understanding of why something is important to you, it becomes easier to stay focused, overcome obstacles, and maintain resilience in the face of challenges.
So how does that matter to you as a property developer? Simple. Plenty of spruikers love to flash up pictures of fancy cars and houses, and at the same time aim to convince you that you can make squillons of dollars overnight with no effort whatsoever... as long as you pay them what they're asking for their course or product.
The key point here is that they make it sound like there's no work involved - and that's just BS (trying to keep it G-rated folks!). Being a developer takes work. Sure, your team will do a lot of that work for you, but you still need to put in some hard yards yourself.
And that's the point at which you need motivation to get out of bed in the morning and get stuck in. Or when you get home from a long day at work, kids finally in bed, and the temptation to crash in front of Netflix is huge - but you sit at your computer and continue your research.
If you don't have a reason, or a WHY to motivate you, it's far too easy to just say "I'll do it tomorrow". One day becomes two, and before you know it months have gone by and you've made no progress at all.
Instead, when the "do it tomorrow" feeling hits you, what you need to do is go right back to your Why and remind yourself what's important to you in life, which will then motivate you to sit down and start doing the next task on your to-do list.
Reality is, knowing your Why taps into intrinsic motivation, which is the internal drive that comes from personal satisfaction, fulfilment, or a sense of purpose. Intrinsic motivation tends to be more sustainable and enduring in comparison to external rewards or pressures.
By focussing on your why, you know that every hour of work you put in is one step closer to achieving it. When you know exactly what you want to achieve and why it matters to you, it becomes easier to stay committed and motivated. It's all about clarity of purpose.
When faced with obstacles or setbacks, knowing your why helps you stay resilient. You're more likely to persevere through difficulties when you're deeply connected to the underlying purpose driving your actions.
Hopefully by now I'm preaching to the converted and you're sold on the idea of having a Why to get you motivated. If it still feels a bit woo-woo to say "Know Your Why" then you're welcome to call it a BHAG - a Big Hairy Audacious Goal.
Because honestly? You're going to need a lot of motivation over a reasonable period of time to get a development through the full process from start to finish. So if your goal is small or easily achievable, you might find yourself mid-project having run out of puff.
You Why, or goal, needs to stretch you. It should align with your core values and beliefs. When your actions are in harmony with your values, you experience a sense of authenticity and fulfilment, which reinforces your motivation.
Also it usually works best if you have a pull goal, rather than a push goal.Okay, I know what you're about to ask - what the heck am I talking about? Think about goals. Some goals make you feel like you're leaning up against a boulder pushing really hard to get the boulder moving. That's a push goal.
A pull goal is one that drags you along, giving you the incentive to keep moving in order to reach it.
Which of those sounds easier and more enjoyable? Maybe if you're a masochist you might pick the seemingly endless hard work of pushing that boulder, but me? I'd rather feel like something is helping me by pulling me along to what I want to achieve.
So spend some time making sure you frame your Why in a way that pulls you towards it. This sense of purpose can fuel your motivation by reminding you of the difference you're striving to make.
In essence, knowing your Why provides a deep-rooted sense of purpose and meaning that can drive and sustain your motivation over the long term. It's about connecting to what truly matters to you and leveraging that connection to propel yourself forward in pursuit of your goals and aspirations.
And that's why it's one of the killer traits of mega successful developers.
