Tap into your inner GPS

By Tami Bonnell, CEO, EXIT Realty Corp. International

During research for a talk, I discovered that humans have a kind of inner GPS.  We’re all familiar with the global positioning system that helps us drive from point A to point B, but we also have an internal GPS; an inner goal producing system. It works like this: The closer we are to our core values, the more self discipline and passion we have. Then when we align our core values with our dreams and a realistic action plan, we end up with more courage, more stick-to-itiveness and more self-discipline.  Together, these add up to our internal goal producing system. 

So how do you tap into your inner GPS?

1. Know what you want.  Mohammad Ali said, “Impossible is not a fact, it’s an opinion”.  When I first started selling regions for EXIT, at least one day every two weeks, I would drive to my target areas within a 10-hour range, make contacts and presentations, come home, take a shower and go do it again, all on very little sleep.  I fell in love with the company and what I was doing. However, I don’t think you can do that – your body nor your mind – unless you’re going after something that you’re passionate about which aligns with your values.  Maybe it’s something you want for yourself or someone else, but your passion helps you to stick with it.
2. We boost our self confidence when we increase our competence.  They say that people who read regularly earn nine times as much income over the course of their lifetime as those who don’t.  Read, listen to podcasts, attend live or virtual seminars, boost your accreditations – continually learn and grow to build your confidence.
3. Surround yourself with positive people who bring out the best in you.  Spend time with people who make you want to be a better person.  EXIT’s Founder and Chairman, Steve Morris, is one such person for me.  Steve told me once, “When you say you’re going to do it, it’s already done,” and his confidence made me never want to disappoint him.  I want to make sure I’m rising to the occasion and continually growing.  Hopefully we all have those people in our lives and in order to tap into our inner GPS, we need to embrace them.  

While it’s important to have one or more mentors, it’s important to be a mentor, too.  Teach what you learn and be a cheerleader for other people. 

In contrast, you may have people on your “bus” who need to be kicked off.  Maybe they’re telling you your dreams are impossible.  Their opinions might be fear based, but regardless, move past them.

So, in order to tap into your inner GPS, you must know what you want, work to increase your competence and surround yourself with the right people, but nothing will change without an action plan to bring your blueprint to life.

One of the things many millionaires have in common is they rise early and commit to a positive and productive morning routine to take control of their day from the start. They read, exercise, meditate and focus on the positive. In addition, they’re relentlessly persistent.  They don’t give up.  After all, it took Amazon 9 years to make a profit. 

Most people live by default, but you can consciously tap into your inner GPS by working on yourself first, taking control of your day and persisting, no matter what. We are all a work in progress, all the time.