Build Your Plan, Implement Your Plan and Don’t Quit
Once you go through all of the steps required to build a 2020 business plan and have them all written down take some time and review them. A few might have some overlap and you might be able to combine them. Marinate on this and don’t look at this as a “task” you have to get done to have it off your list. Really think this through and spend time in thought about what you can really get on board with and be all in.
Then build your plan and I like to do it quarter by quarter. You set up what you will do in Q1 in all aspects of your plan and you do this for Q2, Q3, and Q4. For the quarter that you are in, I like to write out the plan, the goals and put them on your desk. You need to see these every day to keep you on track. I know some people put them in multiple places, like tape them on their bathroom mirror, put them in their car etc.. Bottom line is you need these in front of you all the time and to be a constant reminder of what you promised yourself you would do.
Then you need to go out there and do it, implement your plan every day and don’t lose sight of what your actual goal is. Sure things will try to take you off track that’s life, that’s the mortgage industry but don’t let it. When you get off track bring yourself back in and continue to act on your plan.
Don’t quit during the year and don’t quite implementing your plan until December 31st, 2020. I know this sounds simple but I see it all of the time. An originator starts off the year on fire, filled with excitement and by the end of February, they are back in their old routine doing what is easy and comfortable and not part of their plan.
Go after it with laser focus and if Q1 ends and you didn’t’ hit your goals don’t be discouraged and quit. Review and assess why you didn’t hit those goals and make sure you hit the Q2 goals. You can also readjust the Q2 goals. For example, if you said you wanted to add 6 new referral partners in Q1 and 5 new partners in Q2 but after Q1 you only added 3. Then don’t throw in the towel. Adjust the Q2 goal to add 8 partners.
It’s the old Vince Lombardi saying. “Too many times people quit when they are on the 1-yard line.” In this business, you never know when it’s going to break through and there is no secret sauce to making it break through. You set your plan, you implement your plan and you go after it with all you’ve got and you don’t stop until the year is over. If you do this good things will happen I can guarantee that.