When I signed up with my broker just about one year ago, it was mandatory to enroll in Brian Bufinni’s “100 Days to Greatness” training. First day on the job, I was throwing down an extra $400-something in the hopes of obtaining “greatness” in 3 months or so.

Not wanting to cause trouble my first week on the job (saved that for the second week), I dutifully obliged. I attended all (OK, well most) of the sessions in the 14 week program. I followed the scripts (mostly). I did the role playing. I sent the cards (still do). Did the pop-bys. Worked the database (still do). I was a (pretty) good student (like a B/B+ student). I believe I took away what the real core of the program is. Stay in touch with people. Make yourself available. Be consistent. Be helpful.  

Today I liberated myself from a part of the program I always had internal conflicts with. The 100 Days to Greatness starter kit includes a bunch of oval stickers with the program’s catch phrase on them. “Oh, By the Way…I’m Never Too Busy For Any of Your Referrals.” I never felt comfortable working that into my scripts, so I certainly never felt comfortable sticking it on the back of a handwritten personal note. Yet the pages of labels remained at my desk, taunting me with “Just drink the Kool-Aid, Mike. Put us on your notes. What have you got to lose?” It’s just not me. Never was. I would never say that to someone. Brian Bufinni actually trademarked the “Oh, By The Way…” portion of the phrase. The US Government would agree: It’s Brian’s, not mine!

So today I tossed all the labels. Gone. In the trash (see photo above). I supposed I could have passed them along to another agent in the office who actually uses them, but the act of throwing them away was extremely liberating for me. I feel I turned a page in my real estate career development.

I guess my main point isn’t an anti-Bufinni theme, but rather that I firmly believe “greatness” does not come in a box or arrive hand wrapped at your doorstep in 100 days. And it doesn’t have to cost you $400 bucks either. And here’s where I’m gonna get a little touchy-feely with ya….you’ve been warned.

Greatness is within all of us. It’s just buried a little deeper under a bunch of other crap for some, and bubbling over at the surface for others. Inspiration brings it out in us. The uninspired may never get the chance to see it in themselves, while others are lucky enough to tap into it like a fresh flowing keg of Guinness Stout (mmmm……come to think of it some of my most inspired moments have come after a few rounds of fresh Guinness).

There are countless coaching and training programs out there promising the elusive silver bullet for REALTORS. And based on the apparent success of a lot of these programs there’s definitely a market for it! New agents breaking into the business (and established agents looking to rejuvenate their careers) are obviously willing to listen to someone promising results that buck the trend of hard work and long hours.

I’m sure many agents have found success with the various programs, but for me, as a newer agent, I find enough FREE-OF-CHARGE inspiration in the real estate blogosphere to tap into the greatness inside. Whether it’s what Jeff Turner is doing with video and technology, what Jennifer Allan is doing with her sales approach, what Mary McKnight is doing with SEO and blogging or what Mark Eckenrode is doing with unique marketing techniques.

Some days, all I have to do is log-on and I can feel the “greatness” bubbling to the surface (or is that the Guinness, again?). For me, it’s a phenomenal time to be in this business. I feel the changes that technology is ushering us through will be looked back on as “revolutionary” in the not-too-distant future. Maybe I’m just new and not jaded yet, but I know sometimes I have to force myself to actually go to bed because I am so pumped up about a new approach that someone I’ve never met halfway across the world turned me on to.

For me, “greatness” is right out there in front of us. It’s in the pioneering approaches my colleagues across the globe are taking to redefine the rules of real estate. And thanks to the “connected village” the internet has created, I am lucky enough to be a part of it all.

(Damn, what happened to my East Coast cynicism today? I guess some days the pint glass REALLY IS half full! Barkeep! Another round….drinks for all my friends!)