Watering Vs. Planting (Article)

I’m here in Apracala Italy, if you’ve followed our family adventure, we’re here in Italy for a few months, over my shoulder are these great big beautiful hills. One of the things I’ve discovered about Italy, is there are tons of gardens. Seeing these gardens makes me think about you and your real estate investment business. Why? As an Entrepreneur, we work hard, but things aren’t always moving forward, I thought about a lesson that I’ve learned that I think may help you also.

WATERING OR PLANTING?
I’ve learned a lesson, it’s about watering and planting activies so whether you’re part time or full time, or in a slump, I think this will help you, it helped me. By the end of this brief article you’ll know what the difference is in watering and planting and understand what you need to do to grow your real estate investing business, identify what’s getting you stuck, and grab hold of the action steps to make a profitable impact on your real estate investing business.

The first thing you need to understand to break out of the rut,is that not all business activities are created equal. As an entrepreneur I know this first hand. You might say I just have to work hard, but more importantly what exactly are you doing?

You need to first realize that busy doesn’t always mean productive. Stop and read that one again, it’s tha important.

The more you work the busier you are, as a Real Estate Investor, that doesn’t mean the more money you are going to make! So stop!! From now on let’s both agree that busy does NOT equal productive, or more important profitable.

Here are the differences between watering and planting activities. Watering activities, just like in a garden, are necessary to stay in business, but do not lead to new business. If you want more rose bushes outside you can’t just keep watering the same plants. You’ll never get anything new! You only sustain what is already there. So watering activities in your business will sustain what’s there not add new business: Checking emails, answering administrative phone calls, mailing out contracts, they sustain all your business. But do they add anything new? NO.

Now let’s talk about planting activities, if you want new business you have to plant new things for new profits. For example, placing a new ad is a great planting activity. A successful new ad will bring you new deals, additional real estate profits for you and your investing business. So watering is day to day to keep things thriving, while planting brings in new revenue new business and more profits.

As an entrepreneur you’re looking to grow your business. You need to see the difference between watering, and planting.

How often do you hear yourself say, “I’m SO busy!” When you’re watering you often mistakenly think things are growing.

Just being busy will never lead to growth. And spending all your time watering won’t lead to new profits either.

Your business will never experience new growth unless you’re planting, you need to grasp this and if you don’t you’re going to become a very frustrated real estate investor, you simply won’t achieve what you want. Your business will not experience new growth unless you’re planting.

Now for a quick test. Ready? Collecting rent, is this a watering or planting activity? Watering activity! It sustains current business. Hiring a teenager to put out door hangers for you is that a watering or planting activity? Planting! It’s something that will lead to new deals and profits. Training a new bird dog, that’s planting, someone who can help bring in new deals, and therefore new profits.

Watering versus planting, knowing the difference and investing your energies accordingly really is so powerful. So let’s wrap up with some concrete steps you can immediately put into action.

Step 1 write down everything you do in a week answering emails, opening envelopes, collecting rent, etc. Write down everything Monday through Sunday. Even if it’s part time, if you’re part time, your time is even more critical. You better be wise about spending time planting.

Step 2 go through the activities, and categorize, planting or watering activities. Once you properly separate your watering and planting activities, it’s onto Step 3. You need to limit your watering activities. Ask yourself if they are really necessary?

Checking emails may be necessary, but I’m sure you can get away with do it only once a day instead of every 30 minutes!

Also, are there some watering activities you can outsource? Lastly, for those watering activities you just can’t get around be sure to batch them. It’s a lot easier to do all your yard work in one clip while you have your yard clothes on and all your tools are out. Similarly, if you have to make phone calls or fill out contracts, do it all at once rather than spreading it out over the week and constantly taking focus away from planting activities.

Speaking of planting activities, time to up the ante. Ask yourself what planting activities will have the most immediate impact on my business and pursue them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Maybe it’s training a new bird dog, getting a new investor website, placing door hangers everyday, whatever planting activity will give you the most bang for the buck, make it happen. No excuses.

Lastly, paste this on your head (glue and tape will work fine, or even a post-it note). “Why will I make more this week than last week?” Ask yourself this question every day. If you don’t have an answer, and a GOOD answer, you have a big, big problem.

You need to come up with a planting activity that will build your business. Follow these steps and plant, plant, plant!

Believe me, you’ll start seeing the fruits very quickly and be glad you did!