Here’s the backstory on why I keep a belt display in my office.
Have you ever wondered why I have a Tae-Kwon-Do colored belt system on display behind me in almost every one of my videos? I can promise you it’s not for bragging rights or to show off; it’s used as a coaching tool for all of our agents here at Exit First Realty.
For some time now, I’ve been coaching agents on strategies to grow their business, but it was through a conversation with our office manager that the perfect method became clear to me. Like me, our office manager is a student of Tae-Kwon-Do, and one day she observed that the perpetual pursuit of mastery in the real estate industry is analogous to the martial art belt system.
Oftentimes, young martial arts practitioners who experience a little bit of success get ahead of themselves and try to skip a few levels; everyone wants to be a black belt overnight, but there are no shortcuts. Step-by-step growth is just as important in the real estate world.
Ultimately, we ended up tailoring our coaching to the respective level of each of our agents. For example, a newer agent who might be a white or orange belt has struggles that are totally different from the challenges a red belt is facing. We meet agents where they’re at, and we approach all problems with the same level of respect and determination.
“Everyone wants to be a black belt overnight, but there are no shortcuts.”
The last thing we want to do is treat our variously skilled agents as a monolith, blasting them with the same generic messages and expecting them to grow somehow. However, from our experience, we’ve found that most agents do tend to get stuck in a rut in the same areas. Green belt, for example, is a common plateau; agents at that level begin experiencing serious success and find themselves busier than ever, but often fall into the trap of slacking on their prospecting duties.
Red belts or those who have received what’s called a “Bodan,” which is right below a black belt, can get stuck in the worst way: losing any sense of how to grow beyond what they’ve already achieved. More often than not, adopting slight-edge strategies for things such as time management will give them the boost they need to move up even further.
Becoming a “black belt Realtor” is a process that can take up to three or four years—again, there are no “fast passes” or shortcuts. Agents must fully experience every rung of the ladder in order to become well-rounded. We have a very good record of helping people become black belts, and the ones who succeed are always the ones who put in the time. They’re not necessarily more skilled or talented than anyone else, they’re simply diligent, tenacious, and focused. A true black belt understands that they still haven’t reached their final destination. They can yet grow to the second-, third-, fourth-, or fifth-degree level and beyond.
Though the challenges may change, there’s no end to the pursuit of mastery; we get better every day, and we learn from each other. If you want to learn more about how Exit First Realty can help you get to the next belt level in your business, contact us today—I promise we won’t hit you with any real Tae-Kwon-Do moves! Just give us a call or send an email to get the conversation started. I’m even offering a free, one-on-one business strategy session via Zoom for anyone who’s interested. Let’s all aspire to be better at our craft in 2021.
