“Be quick, but don’t hurry.” — John Wooden
I had a client — John — who kept running his business the exact same way through a boom and then through the downturn that followed it. Same spend, same expectations, same pace. The market punished him for it. Nothing about his strategy had adjusted to the conditions he was actually standing in.
Which wind are you actually flying into right now — and does your strategy know it?
Know Your Conditions
Australian principal Chris Hanley put it simply: “in the real estate business you’re either in a headwind, a tailwind or no wind… and we’re currently in a headwind.” Sustainable agents don’t fight the wind. They adjust their sails and, as Tolstoy put it, remember that “two of the most powerful warriors are patience and time.”
Feeling this one? You don’t have to figure it out alone — book a free High Performance Call and let’s talk through where you’re at.
Five Ways to Build Something That Lasts
- Master the mindset. A downturn is a conditions change, not a verdict on your ability.
- Care for buyers genuinely. They remember who treated them like a person during a hard market.
- Set realistic expectations. With sellers, with buyers, and with yourself.
- Practise patience. Deals take longer in a headwind. Plan for it instead of resenting it.
- Prioritise productivity. Cut the fat, strengthen the muscle — protect the activities that actually move the needle.
Take action: Name which wind you’re in this quarter — headwind, tailwind or no wind — and adjust one habit to match it this week.
This is Radical Ownership over conditions you can’t control: you can’t choose the wind, but you can always choose your sails. Sustainable businesses aren’t built in tailwinds. They’re built in headwinds and simply survive into the next tailwind.
If you’re ready to build something that lasts through any market, book a free High Performance Call.
About Jet Xavier
Jet Xavier is a High Performance mindset and accountability coach who works with real estate agents, principals and team leaders to build sustainable, high-performing careers. Learn more about Jet.
This piece began as a column for Elite Agent — you can read the original here.
