Mastering Your Mindset: The Key to Real Estate and Life Success

Me and my mom circa 1993, In flight to Germany, High School Choir Europe trip. My life pre-entrepreneur. Experiences like this made me into the person I am today!

Hey there,

I’m pumped to share this with you—my first official blog. I had a college professor once tell me my writing was elementary. That stung—still does, if I’m being real. For years, I believed I wasn’t a good writer, that I never could be. But this blog? This is me refusing to let that story define me. I can be whatever I decide to be—just like you. Now, let’s be clear: if I suddenly decided I wanted to play in the NFL, reality (and probably my lack of athletic ability) would set me straight real quick. But could I train like an NFL player? Push myself every day? Absolutely. And that’s what this blog is—a way to train my mind out of the whole “I’m not a good writer” excuse and just play the game.

More importantly, I hope this gives you something valuable—maybe a little inspiration, maybe just a new way of looking at things. I want to help you understand your own mind and the people around you.

I’ll be doing this every other week, on the weeks we don’t have a staff meeting. And I promise, I’ll keep it short—because I know how busy life gets. If you’re like me, you don’t want to waste time on things that don’t matter. I’ll get a little philosophical (because, well, that’s just me), but I’ll also share stories and insights that might help you get through the week.

Blog #1: Managing Your Mind

In real estate—and in life—success comes down to one thing: managing your mind.

What you choose to think about, how you react to those thoughts, and the actions you take because of them—that’s what shapes your reality.

Clients, deals, setbacks, wins… those are just circumstances. They come and go, like the sunrise and sunset. They happen without you.

Same with money. Money is already out there, waiting for you to go get it. There’s plenty of it. Taking it doesn’t mean someone else loses. That’s a lie people tell themselves. The truth? You are the creator. Your thoughts shape your future. If you want more money, more success, more anything, you have to train your brain to allow you to have it.

Otherwise, your brain runs on autopilot—stuck in old habits, fears, and limiting beliefs.

The Secret to Managing Your Brain: CTFAR

Here’s the simple behavior model that explains how your mind works:

Circumstance → Thought → Feeling → Action → Result

It always happens in that order.

1️⃣ Circumstance: Stuff happens. Death, divorce, illness, job loss, weight gain, selling a house, someone’s rude comment, the weather… all things you can’t control.

2️⃣ Thought: What you tell yourself about that circumstance. “I can’t believe this happened.” “I’m not good enough.” “I’m so glad this happened.” “This is stressful and I can’t handle it.” “I’m going to live my best life now.”

3️⃣ Feeling: Your thoughts create your emotions—frustration, anger, sadness, relief, joy, overwhelm.

4️⃣ Action: What you do based on those feelings—overeat, lash out, work harder, self-sabotage, show kindness, avoid, hustle, exercise.

5️⃣ Result: The outcome, based on the action you took.

Let’s break it down: Say you lose your job. That’s just a circumstance. You could think, “This is the worst thing ever.” That thought makes you feel hopeless. If you feel hopeless, you might withdraw, not apply for new jobs, and spiral into negativity. The result? You stay stuck.

Or, you could think, “This is my chance to do something better.” That creates excitement. That excitement fuels action—you start job hunting, networking, and improving your skills. The result? A new, better opportunity.

Same circumstance. Different thought. Different result.

Why This Matters in Real Estate

In real estate, buyers and sellers will always associate you with the success or failure of their transaction—unless you build a deeper relationship with them. Their thoughts and feelings about the process directly impact your referrals and long-term success.

If you can understand why people think and feel the way they do, you can guide them through the process with more confidence and control. And when you learn to manage your own mind? That’s when you start winning.

Because here’s the truth: The success of your life and business depends on your awareness of how humans think.

Feelings are signals. If you’re frustrated, look at the thought creating that feeling. Change the thought, and everything shifts.

It’s like when a child wakes up terrified from a nightmare. You don’t just let them stay scared—you tell them, “It was just a dream, you’re safe.” And suddenly, they calm down.

What if you did that for yourself? What if you started changing your thoughts to match the life you actually want?

Your Takeaway

The way you think will determine how much money you make, how successful you become, and how happy you are.

Want to make serious money in this business? Master your mindset. Understand your clients. And most importantly—understand yourself.

Thanks for reading, Sally