The gap that is obvious in real estate right now—between the people who are selling a whole bunch of houses and the people who aren’t—is implementation. You hear about the implementation gap all the time at real estate conferences, on podcasts, and on social media.
The problem is no one ever goes deeper than that.
So, today, I’m breaking down the seven most common reasons for that gap—and what you can do about it.
#1: Lack of Clear Goals & a Vision
Without a clear understanding of what they want to achieve, business owners and teams often struggle to take decisive action—because they don’t have a plan.
A well-defined vision and specific goals provide direction and a roadmap for implementation.
So, maybe you have a plan and you haven’t looked at it since January.
That could be a problem. But, even worse is not having a plan at all. Without knowing where you’re going, you’re never going to implement.
#2: Fear of Failure
So many folks are paralyzed by the fear of failure, which can manifest in a variety of ways:
- Fear that it won’t go according to plan—and that the fall-out will be devastating
- Fear that if you make a mistake, people will think you’re an idiot or incompetent
- Fear that you’re not seeing something that will end up sabotaging your results
Those fears, however, take form as thoughts, and can easily stop you before you’ve even started. Fear will lead to procrastination or the avoidance of necessary but uncomfortable steps—hindering your progress.
I’ve got news for you. You bat three for 10. You’re in the hall of fame, so you’re going to fail more than you succeed in this business. And that’s okay.
#3: Overcomplicating & Overthinking
When things are too complex, you have too many steps, or you overcomplicate or overthink things, it’s easy to get stuck in analysis paralysis. Breaking down big tasks into smaller, manageable steps is essential for effective implementation.
You can’t sit here and try to come up with the most complicated way to do something when in reality, maybe all you need to do is talk to people on the phone.
#4: Environment
Implementation requires sufficient resources, whether time, money, or manpower. Without the right environment, even the best ideas will falter.
Ensuring that the right tools and people are in place is going to be critical. So you want to make sure you’re in a spot where you’ve got the opportunities, resources, and people with experience that can lead you in the right direction. Here, I’m talking about real estate professionals who have been through this time and time again. If you don’t have that experience, leverage someone else’s.
#5: Poor Time Management
This is one of the biggest problems in real estate and in business as a whole: plenty of business owners, teams, and entrepreneurs struggle to prioritize things effectively.
They get bogged down in day-to-day operations. They’re not focused on the right things. And they get stuck just going in circles all the time. That leaves little time or energy for implementing new strategies.
Effective time management is key to overcoming this challenge.
#6: Resistance to Change
Then there’s the resistance to change—when things are different from how they used to be. Say you’ve gotten used to doing things a certain way and suddenly, the rules change. Or someone suggests a different approach.
We’ve recently gone through changes in this industry. It can be uncomfortable. And people may resist new approaches out of habit or fear of the unknown.
That resistance can stall or completely derail implementation.
#7: Lack of Accountability
Without accountability structures in place, it’s easy for implementation efforts to lose momentum. So, make these three structures an essential part of your business:
- Regular check-ins
- Progress tracking
- Accountability partners and teams
Having these in place helps people stay on track and motivated.
Final Thoughts
When you look at these seven reasons, they highlight the most common obstacles for real estate professionals. And my biggest takeaway boils down to this bit of advice: keep it simple.
- Know your numbers
- Get focused on what matters
- Block out the noise
Do all three on a consistent basis, and you’ll be able to implement the things that are going to make you money and get the goals and desired outcomes that you want.
