Over the past year, my real estate technology startup, Luxury Presence, has grown from nine employees to a major force in real estate marketing with a staff of 38 and over 800 clients, including some of the largest agents and brokers in industry.
Contents1. Find joy in daily challenges.2. Get active to improve mental health.3. Build your community.4. Keep out of your inbox.To tell you the truth, it has not been an easy experience. The responsibility of managing a large team and maintaining hyper growth, while delivering the best results for each client, is quite an intense and demanding experience.
Over the past year, one thing has become a theme for me. It's the only thing I focus on when the going gets tough. And that's the importance of showing up fully every morning, no matter how I feel that day.
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This underlying discipline and drive is something I developed years ago when I was a college athlete and professional basketball player.
Many of my successes and failures growing up were due to sports. I was still competitive, so every loss was devastating. I eventually got really good at taking every loss, harvesting it, and using it as fuel. It pushed me to work harder the next day and to develop more ambition and a greater sense of determination.
More importantly, I learned how much consistency matters. As an athlete, it doesn't matter how you feel on a particular day. You do whatever it takes to do your best. You develop a strong sense of loyalty to your team and accountability follows. It's the same as running a business. You must bring it every day.
My first startup, a fundraising app called Givvr, reinforced similar lessons. We had a team of three and had to figure out how to keep ourselves motivated for over a year, with many losses along the way.
In leadership and business, people appreciate it when you show up consistently every day. Embracing this mindset is no small feat. But there are a few things you can do to keep you motivated through the ups and downs of business.
There are two main reasons why I look forward to showing up at work every day. One is the passion of the people I work with. Seeing people who are willing to work hard and make growing this business a priority is something I thrive on. It's really stimulating to be here.
And two, every day brings something new. This idea is exciting. Life (and especially work) is a series of problems that require solutions. I try to focus on finding joy in this process rather than focusing too much on the outcome of a particular problem.
Most people focus on the physical benefits of an active lifestyle. But a trip to the gym, a game of tennis, a walk around the lake, etc., can all help with mental maintenance. In fact, researchers suggest getting 30 to 60 minutes of exercise three to five times a week to reap the needed brain benefits.
I try to wake up around 6:30 so I have enough time to run. I'm lucky enough to live in Santa Monica, CA where I run to the ocean and back. But any type of exercise should provide the same benefits. Then I do a 10-minute guided meditation with Sam Harris' Waking Up app.
If meditation isn't your thing, sit down for a moment and think — or maybe read a few articles from people you respect or admire. The goal here is to put you in a positive headspace to prepare for the intensity of the workday.
I'm more introverted than most people realize. So my first instinct under pressure is to step back to “figure things out for myself”. This trend is something I actively strive to counter. As I discovered during my basketball days, it doesn't matter how I play if my team isn't good or we don't play together.
I can't stress enough how important community is to well-being and performance. The best ideas don't happen in isolation, and the toughest problems are rarely solved in silos. Plus, having a strong community outside of work helps me step away from the all-consuming founder lifestyle when I need it.
For the longest time, I would check email when I first wake up; it was almost like it gave me this adrenaline rush. In fact, it made me worried as I started my morning. Studies show that always being on isn't just bad for your mental health, it can make you less productive.
Now, I try to limit my screen time for the first hour of the day, until I'm ready to start my work day. Postponing your inbox to later in the day ensures that emails don't become your to-do list and allows you to be proactive rather than reactive in the workplace.
I get really excited to wake up every morning and head to the office to start my day. By reframing their mindset, professionals at every stage of their career can learn how to start feeling joyful at work.
