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Mortgage technology and beyond: The LION roars

Jan 03, 2005

Mortgage technology and beyond: The last quarter and what are you going to do about itJohn D. Svirskynew year's resolution, year 2000,motivation September 1999, one quarter, 90 days left until the end of the year, the decade, and the century, What are you planning to do about that? We all have the opportunity to complete this year by consciously putting our attention to those areas that need completion. Are you going to be like the millions of faceless masses that aimlessly go through their lives handling the crisis of the moment, or will you be one of the few who choose to live their lives by design? I hope you are the latter. I want to share you with you something I have just done for myself that has produced phenomenal results. The results both shocked me and redirected my energies. The irony is that it does not involve a product you can buy. I am not reviewing someone else's work this month. It is something you can do for yourself. I blocked out several hours of time where I was not to be disturbed-absolutely no interruptions-and I wrote the following down on a clean page (computer or pad, makes no difference): Looking back over the past year and decade, what specifically would I like to accomplish and finish before December 31, 1999? Sounds easy; wrong! Not if you are honest with yourself. There is so much more that came to my mind than the amount of money I was going to make or the number of deals I would close. Issues like the development of my soul-am I willing to not only forgive those who have harmed or hurt me, but also let go of the hurt and resentment? Am I willing to start afresh, not be hindered by my past and the myriad of mistakes that I have made. Can I let go of all those things that others had done to me to start the millennium anew? We achieve different results by taking new actions, not by repeating the same behavior and expecting different results (some people's definition of insanity). So I became really clear with myself and wanted to start the year 2000 by closing the book and not looking back. To do this, I had to be willing to take a serious look at myself and my previous behavior (a personal inventory), and then be willing to acknowledge it rather than justify it (it helps to share it with someone else) and finally, let go of it. In doing this exercise, I was shocked and surprised by how many of my actions were based on proving myself to others or trying to win (fill in the blank's) approval. I have made the conscious decision to listen deeper within myself and to allow my actions to be motivated by what I want for myself, rather than what others expect of me. You might be surprised at what comes up from doing this exercise, I sure was. And if you are like me, you might find that you need to do it more than once. I thought it would be a one time thing, but I have gone back and reworked it several times. Now when I finish 1999, I will be able to say, "John, job well done." I have looked at how much I have grown since 1990, where I was in my personal life and development, and what was important to me then versus what is important now. I compared the caliber of my life and lifestyle then and now, and the irony is that as I grew in inner consciousness, so did my business, quality of life and material possessions. I think a lot has to do with setting the boundaries. I wished to be a well-rounded, balanced individual placing my spiritual values first, then my family, and then my business. It was a very hard transition which did not occur overnight. But, over the last decade, I can see the transformation that I have made. I like it. I made more money in 1999 than I did in 1990, I have gotten to fulfill many of my dreams, such as writing this monthly column, traveling around the world, and well you get the idea. I just want to give you ideas on how to do it for yourself. You may remember my January article in which I talked about wish lists and making plans for the year. I shared how every new year (and I update it frequently), I create what I call a "wish list." This is different than a five-year plan, or just goals done for the boss, this is done for the big boss, myself. On a clean sheet of paper I create four categories: Spiritual, Physical and Mental, Job Related and Material. Then, I write down all that I want to accomplish under each category. Each of us is very different, and that is why I encourage you to find your own "right way," use what I share only as suggestions. I found it beneficial to start with the spiritual, i.e. what I am going to give back for all that I have been blessed with? How can I give of myself to others? Is there someone new to the industry that I can mentor? Do I make at least one free mortgage a year to someone who cannot afford my brokerage fees? This is a double-edged sword because I have never given to get, yet I have also learned the more freely I give to others, the more I benefit. This monthly column is a perfect example. I derive no financial benefit from doing this, I have no product to sell you, nor do I represent a company that wants to sell you something. Each month, I speak to or receive E-mail from many of you, and have learned much. The mental and physical wish list involves things such as, how much I want to weigh, how many books a month I want to read, how many books on tape I will listen to, what I wish to do for mental stimulation, like going to a concert or just this weekend, my wife and I drove to Boston (4.5 hour drive) to see the John Singer Sargent exhibition. I write down how many times a week I will exercise, the type of food plan I wish to follow, etc. I hope you get the idea. The job-related category is relatively simple. It gets down to the number of deals I wish to close, the amount I want to make for the month and year, and those actions I am willing to do to get there, (i.e. the number of calls to previous clients or referral sources I will do each day or week). How many letters will I send out to prospective clients and referral sources each week? What commitment am I willing to make to technology? Have I create a Web page (or hired someone to do it for me)? If you work for a large corporation you can still create your own page and have it linked and the personal touch is vital for success. Are you committed to buying your own software, laptop, and promotional materials, if your company will not reimburse you? In doing this category, I go a step further and allow myself to daydream and see what it would be like if I reached the pinnacle of success (by my definition) what my life would look like, which leads me to the last category-the material. What kind of car, house, boat, motor home, etc. do you want? Be specific: the color of the car, the color and the scent of the leather interior, and the sound system. Picture yourself driving to your office in the vehicle of your choice, and feeling good that you have earned it. Picture the type of clothing you might want, and perhaps you want a different house or a second or third house. I wanted to review the concept of wish list to get to my main point, which is we have one quarter left until the end of this year. Now is the time to take stock of all that you have accomplished during the course of the year and what needs to be done to bring it to a close. We are all superstars playing in the World Series or Superbowl, and there is 15 minutes (90 days) left on the clock. The coach tells us that in order to win our personal game of success, we not only have to give it our all, but we must focus on the goal. What is our goal? That is where the wish list comes in, and by being able to checkoff the items accomplished, it becomes clear what needs to be done. Professional football players practice between 40-50 hours each week to prepare for a two-hour game, played once a week. Professional speakers will prepare 10 hours or more to give that half-hour speech that appears to be impromptu and casual. The winners take time in preparation, analysis and follow through. Most people just try to wing it and hope to get by. Which path is right for you? John D. Svirsky is a former Director and Technology Chairperson of the NYAMB, a volunteer firefighter, gardener, avid cigar enthusiast, and has been in business for himself for 18 years. John can be reached at (914) 424-3388 or [email protected]. It's worth a try. Who knows? You might even make more money while helping others at the same time.
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