by : jeffvo CRE, Featured, Life

The future resembles the past

Photo courtesy of aboutimages. Little boy with a rocket backpack in a field.
Our future determines what we’ll do today.

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

The daily same activities induced us to believe the future will resembles the past. We know when the sun raises and when it sets. We know when we’ll go to sleep and wake up. The future resembles the past.

Tomorrow, we’ll rise early, get our coffee and get ready to go to work. Then we walk to the car, head to work. End of the day, we walk to our car and head home. Unless our activities are different, the days after will be repetitive. Our future resembles the past.

We are here to contribute, whether it’s a small viable idea or effort to our community and the world. Our future determines what we’ll do today.

What are we contributing today so that our future pans out?
What choices are we making today that will make a difference tomorrow?
What action are we taking today that will move us forward?
What problem are we solving today that will pave us in the right direction?
What are we doing today that will be resourceful tomorrow?
Who are we engaging today that will empower us tomorrow?
Who are we helping today that will help the next generation?
What are we building today for the future?
What do we have to lose today to gain tomorrow?

Easy vs difficult choices. Our first step is will we give up the easy choices for the difficult ones. There are easy reached choices that alter our lifestyle and well-being. Recently I decline some sweet desserts and excessive drinking in place of a healthier me. Like writing, I commit to daily exercise.

It is said, tough choices, easier life. Easy choices, tough life.

The future resembles the past.

by : jeffvo Featured, Life, Nature

The Accidental Meditation

Something we haven’t notice now can put to practice.

The accidental
meditation

Once in a while, we need to remove ourselves from distractions and noises in the world. The more we do it, the more we can focus on ourselves. Many influential leaders practice meditation daily for that purpose and more.

Here are some accidental meditations that we haven’t notice. Now that we know, we can put more in practice.

Listen to classical music while at the wheel.
I’m at the wheel for a good twenty minutes. I get too excited if the upbeat music is on. I might get too creative if podcast is on. Upbeat music gives me more ideas and daydreams. But the mind is not at peace. When the music is tune to classical my mind is at ease. Let it wonders quietly, note by note.

Sit quietly for half an hour.
You can call this the sitting meditation. I sit at a quiet spot for a good half an hour. Need to ensure no one or anything is interrupting. Let my mind wonder. Not gonna move anywhere. Even if the phone notice comes in, leave it be. I’m just gonna sit there.

Take a long walk.
It is said walking is a meditation in itself. It’s an accidental meditation. Monks do it too. Breezy airs and nature will do wonder. That’s when I don’t have to look at my phone. My mind is with nature and the surrounding environment. Put in the walk daily.

Take a good warm shower.
I get complain for using the restroom too long. Yes, that’s right. But i think that’s also the only time where i don’t touch my phone. I’m taking a good warm shower. That’s where my mind is calm and in the presence. Shall I call it a shower meditation?

by : jeffvo blogging, Featured, Life, Productivity

We rise to the occasion because we care

We rise to the occasion because we care!
We care for the audience who paid to attend. Whether it’s friends or supporters who attended, it’s our professional responsibility to deliver the expected work. It was a chance to create magic for those we seek to serve.

Teamwork. photo courtesy of amazingmikael

We rise to the occasion because we believe in the vision.
We all visualized exactly what we need to do to ensure it’s magical. We shared our big goals and high aims. Even it sounded ridiculous, we all stood behind the goals and all the obstacles we could potentially faced. We learned to ask. We learned to plan. We learned that it’s all possible.

Our plan was to host a fashionable red carpet Oscar like event for 300 paid audience, with little to no budget and only sponsors and supporters fund. With limited budget and personnels, we formed volunteer groups and created our own contents.

We rise to the occasion because we believe in change
Even in the darkest moments, all could fall apart, but we stayed persistent and committed. We solved issues as they arised. The journey was to create a new expectation and a better norm for ourselves and our audience. We embodied the confident and motivation to ensure our team rise to the occasion. Time sacrificed and creative inputs are meaningful when we delivered our works to the audience.

Those who showed up to do the work daily were inspired. When the aims are high, we become obsessive and relentlessly committed to complete the work. The hobby become our professional commitment.

We rise to the occasion because we care!
We care because it’s about our audience, our community and the change we seek to make.

by : jeffvo CRE, Featured, Life

Day in the life of a CRE Broker

A general post on what a day in the life of a Commercial Real Estate Broker is like for most successful CRE professionals in comparison to my schedule. It shows how hard successful brokers work and manage their time effectively.

I have been wanting to track my time to understand what my day is like and why often times I feel unproductive. My work time has been condensed down to 2-3 hours during the pandemic time.

6:00AM: Wake up. Check emails, news and financial market. Most CRE brokers would exercise and ready to the office by 7:00AM.

7:00 AM: Check emails, news and financial market. Most CRE brokers head to their office, get caffeinated and ready to review the day. One of the brokers even do a Tuesday Traffic video to capture the day and advice to clients.

8:00 AM: Prepare and wake up the kid for online school. CRE brokers would meet their sales team to start the productive day. Team consists of admin, marketing and sales, listing updates, new properties on the market, to do and prospecting list.

9:00 AM: Read and write on various topics. Plan for the day. Most CRE brokers time block for 2-3 hours to tackles the to do, the follow up and the prospecting list.

10:00 AM: Arrive to the office. Review plan for the day. Respond to emails. Review CRM and schedule. Work on the priorities. Most CRE brokers work on prospecting for 2-3 hours.

11:00 AM: One hour of productive work – follow up calls. Need to work on the prospect call list. Most CRE brokers finalize their list of to do and prospecting.

12:00 PM: Work can drift off here due to distractions – social media, web browsing, random calls. Most CRE brokers do lunch with someone or schedule a lunch with someone differently throughout the week.

1:00 PM: Maybe a quick lunch or snacking inside the office. Most CRE brokers head to their meetings or tours they planned the previous days or earlier in the morning.

2:00 PM: Most meetings and tours happen during the afternoon time. Most CRE brokers have meetings with clients and touring properties.

3:00 PM: Back to the office. Review emails, update CRM, and plan for the next day or rest of the week. Most CRE brokers continues with clients meeting and touring.

4:00 PM: Work in the business – listings, marketing and sales. Most CRE brokers are back to the office to return calls and emails. Prepare LOI, secure signatures, negotiate a deal and secure new listing.

5:00 PM: Complete all follow up and return calls and messages. Most CRE brokers wrap up, go home or to another meeting.

6:00 PM: Finish up. Maybe a little bit of web browsing. Extracurricular stuffs. Some CRE brokers would have night or dinner meetings with clients since some clients are only available after business hours.

After a brief writing on this topic, I have come to realized how much more I can do to have productive days that can lead to very successful career in commercial real estate.

All CRE brokers need to have the following:

  • Big Goals
  • Daily Planning
  • Delegation (teamwork)
  • Time Blocking (Prospecting, Client meetings and tours)
  • Systems (office operation, delegation, time management, prospecting, marketing, sales, and follow up)
  • Accountability
  • Follow Through
  • Followed up & maintained the connection with clients
    • Follow up! Don’t always take
    • Ask yourself, “How can I help my clients?”
    • Ask them, “What is your biggest problem & how can I solve it?”
    • And “What are your goals?”

by : jeffvo Life, Productivity

Growth! A Self-Reflection

Reflection. Photo courtesy of Pressmaster.

I woke up early to find quiet time for some quick writings, getting down to the basics. Never really gotten around to actually sit down to write. Good thing, I was able to find my way to reflect on the year and actually put in some thoughts on paper.

Have you actually sat down to complete reviewing of your work for the year? The disparity of what actually I accomplished versus what didn’t is so far off that it looks like your time was invested elsewhere. Then I realize I was exposed to something much more, the opportunity to grow personally and professionally through leadership role.

Growth! The pursuit of happiness. My goal versus growth. It has always been a mindset of mine, to grow in life as a businessman, a father and husband and as a leader. It is empowering when we combine growth mindset and goal together.

What’s the best way to set realistic quantifiable goal!! Perhaps we just need to an execution plan for that goal, one that’s realistic, measurable and attainable. I find re-writing your goal daily become the most holistic way to attain your goal. That’s when I find myself useful and most productive.

by : jeffvo blogging, Life

Recognize noises

Noises are the little distracted things in your daily life. I’ve found social media, notification from variety of sources on your phone and searching the web on unproductive and sometimes costly things are a few serious noises that I need to eliminate.  Time to turn off the notification for some media and messages.   You can always refer to them if there’s more time allowed.

Need to change the habit of constantly exercise my mind, body and soul.  Nurture the conscience of being awaken so that we can always have a clear and determine mindset.  At times, sitting in one place keeps us lazy and unfocused.  Walk it off to keep your body and mind active.  Try exercising during the day, in the morning or at anytime of the day.

Exchange your lazy routine tasks for more active tasks. Exchange your noisy distractions for more healthy tasks.  Stop searching the web and start doing some readings, writings and or just go to the gym.


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by : jeffvo blogging, Life

It’s not always about the money but presence

It is daunting sometimes just to think about financial burden especially something that could and should be less.  Not always about the money when it comes to special occasion, like a birthday, when friends and families are present, then money becomes less of a concern. You are welcome to provide input, say that you want to be there but you have budget. Being upfront shows how authentic you are.  Importantly that you want to be there on that special day to celebrate with the birthday person.
Friends and family can always cover your expenses on those special occasions too.  Just a thought.
Now go celebrate your friend or whoever’s birthday.  It means a lot to them.

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by : jeffvo Adventure, blogging, Life, Sports

A well committed discipline plan

We’re all busy in our day-to-day activities – family, children, work, participating in different organizations, sports and or any other extra curriculum activities we have high interest in.  A day can go by so fast. The hours can just disappeared without our knowledge.
A well-committed discipline plan can do justice!! Imagine if you’re back to school again. Homework due, test prep and active studying – all of these are our competitive self when we are pushed to complete a project, ace the test and bring your team a trophy. We need to our competitive self out again with a well-committed discipline plan.
Training for a half marathon or a full marathon require you to practice your running and breathing, build your endurance and keeping a good technique and pacing.  It takes discipline to wake at 6am daily or every other day to run.
Now, we just need to put discipline into our other area of our life.
Generate a higher income? New Business?
Remodeling home? Backyard work?
A movie?
Oh shoot, here goes the list. 

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by : jeffvo blogging, Life

Potential

How do you know what your potential is when you have not tried to do a certain project or task or anything out of your norm? Even if it looks hard or fearful or intimidating, for as long as we have not tried it, how do we know where our potential is? Is there more to prosper on the other side?  Maybe a sense of accomplishment, an epiphany, a self confidence and a world of possibilities are what lie ahead once we’ve overcome a difficult assignment.
A choice you made opens your mind to ideas and strategies to help you reach your potential.  Only you can decide its limits.
The next time, we’ll need to say yes to the find out our full potential.

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