💪 turn setbacks into comebacks...

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Good Morning👋 from Elite Agent

Got a difficult task to work through today? You’d be best to tackle it in the middle of the day. And no, that’s not procrastination. Research shows that our brains perform at their peak during this time.

Today’s read time: 4 minutes, 30 seconds.

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MOTIVATION

“Shut up and move on!”

Paul McGee stood up in a room full of real estate professionals and told them to SHUT UP. (And Move ON).

Far from enraging them, Mr McGee, better known as "The SUMO Guy," earned himself a round of applause and full respect of the audience at the Elite Retreat conference.

With a blend of humour, psychology, and hard-earned life lessons, Mr McGee’s version of SUMO (which stands for “Shut Up, Move On” or “Stop, Understand, Move On”) is all about getting out of your own way, gaining fresh perspectives, and taking charge of your choices. From managing a beef burger factory (true story) to overcoming chronic illness, this best-selling author has turned his setbacks into comebacks, inspiring audiences worldwide to laugh, learn, and, most importantly, move forward.

Resilience through grit

Sharing his own struggles, including 13 rejections for his book SUMO, Mr McGee stresses the importance of perseverance.

“Outcomes are not inevitable,” he said. “The future is not a place you just get to, it’s a place you get to create.”

He also stresses that you can’t just wait for success to happen, you have to actively create your own opportunity. “You don’t have to be ill to get better.” His message? Push through challenges and keep going, because persistence often leads to unexpected breakthroughs.

The power of perspective

In his address, McGee emphasised the need to see situations from different angles, using the metaphor of a giant, multi-coloured beach ball. “Imagine this beach ball is 50 times the size it is, and you’re all stood at the back of the room. From your angle, it’s red, green, and white. Your view isn’t incorrect, but it may be incomplete.” This metaphor illustrates that in real estate, and life, success comes from looking beyond your own perspective. "If you want to influence people... it’s not about being right, it’s about being curious." He encourages agents and PM’s to take the time to understand how others see the world, which can lead to better decisions and stronger connections.

Response over reaction

“You’re not responsible for your first reaction, but you are responsible for your first action,” he told the audience underscoring the importance of thoughtful decision-making in challenging situations. Mr McGee’s core lesson is that it’s not the event itself, but how you respond that shapes your outcome. His formula of E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome) highlights that the key to creating better outcomes lies in how you respond to life’s events. Drawing from his own experiences, he shares how we often fall into the trap of blaming external circumstances, when in reality, it's our responses that shape our outcomes. “Two people can experience the same event but end up with very different results, because of how they choose to respond,” he said.

ICYMI, yesterday we covered some tips on how to make your marketing as precise as TikTok’s

SMART SNIPPETS

Renters still facing tough conditions
Australia's rental market is getting even tighter. The national vacancy rate fell to 1.39% in August, driven by a sharp drop in regional areas. While some capital cities saw slight increases, Hobart now boasts the lowest vacancy rate at 0.87%. Despite year-on-year improvements in most markets, sub-2% vacancy rates across the board mean renters continue to face significant challenges.

Suburb values decline across Australia and New Zealand
In Australia, nearly 30% of suburbs saw a drop in property values over the past quarter, led by significant declines in Melbourne and regional Victoria, while Perth recorded universal value rises. Similarly, New Zealand has experienced a slowdown, with 71% of suburbs seeing declines. First National Real Estate’s Ashley Church attributed these trends to rising interest rates, affordability pressures, and market uncertainty. “The greatest challenge for the New Zealand property market is managing inflation and its stubborn resistance to staying within the Reserve Bank’s target range.”

Aussies want house prices to drop
It’s been a long time coming, but Australians are finally sick of surging house prices. A recent poll shows 54% of Australians want house prices to drop over the next five years and even 44% of homeowners with mortgages support a price drop. The housing crisis is causing stress for two-thirds of respondents, with 84% worried about affordability for young Australians.

Turn off the lights!
While most Americans (and the rest of us) are pinching pennies and stretching budgets, US TV Show Selling Sunset keeps serving up champagne dreams at mansion-sized prices. According to SolarReviews.com, the average home sold by the Oppenheim Group doesn’t just come with killer views - it also comes with an electric bill that’s 10 times higher than your typical California home. Ouch!

SOUND WAVES

The big moves and BIG mistakes that have shaped mega-successful entrepreneurs.

Today’s curated listed is about why hitting rock bottom helped prominent business leaders reach MEGA success.

Read the original article from Entrepreneur here

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

When a home has a row of shoes lined up on the front porch during an open inspection, it’s more than just a sign of interest - it’s the neighbourhood’s version of a standing ovation. 👡🥾👏🏼

@alexdunnrealestate

#realestate #auckland #newzealand #comedy #property

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Wishing you a productive day

Elite Agent is crewed by Mark Edwards, Catherine Nikas-Boulos, Rowan Crosby, and Samantha McLean. We aim to uplift the real estate industry by delivering forward-thinking, hype-free news and education that fosters knowledge and fuels ambition.

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