A little over two years ago, I nearly hit rock bottom.

My life was in a downward spiral. I was going through home foreclosure; I was incapacitated from a car accident, where I lost my car and then I lost my job. I felt like the world was collapsing around me. I was a single mother without another source of income and I was 60 days away from losing my home. I needed to act — and fast!

You may have heard, “Learn to work on yourself harder than you do on your job.” Well, I’m a firm believer of this quote.

Personal development is a positive and creative way to achieve inner peace, happiness and enhance your effectiveness and success as a real estate professional.

That’s why I made the decision to change my life for the better through a series of daily changes.

Today, here’s what my life looks like:

I wake up at 4 a.m. every morning and count my blessings. Now, every day, I feel extremely grateful for everything I have. I start exercising at 5 a.m. Instead of listening to music or watching television while working out, I listen to motivational videos on YouTube. I review my vision board as a reminder of my personal and professional goals. I use affirmations in front of the mirror while doing my makeup. Before leaving my home, I give myself 5 minutes every day to imagine and visualize what success might look like for the day and for the future. I eliminate all distractions and utilize a schedule to block and prioritize my time and daily activities. I do not spend time with negative people and eliminated bad influences in my life. I go to networking events to establish new relationships with positive individuals who share my passion for personal development. I engage with an accountability group that has higher aspirations than mine to keep me on track with my goals. I allocate time to learn more about real estate and go to seminars to meet people who are in the industry (investors, loan officers, title companies, inspectors, etc.) I end each day by reading a chapter of a book about personal growth.

The good news: I was able to save my home and position myself in a better situation. Within a short time after starting my career in real estate, I was recognized nationally as a top agent within my company. Today, I close more transactions than the average agent and my business and personal life continue to improve tremendously.

Overall, the real change happened when I decided to work on my mindset. This new focus on personal development gave me the strength to stay committed to my goals, allowed me to be disciplined while developing new habits and working consistently on my skills. Focusing on my personal development also taught me how to work with a diverse clientele and equips me with the knowledge to expand my business by crossing cultural and geographic boundaries.

Today, our clients are more computer savvy and are more capable of finding answers online. But what I have found is that this is still a “people” business.

Technology might provide information faster, but our clients still need to interact with us and we must be their “problem-solvers” when it comes to real estate. Therefore, to attract and retain a broader clientele, we must prioritize our personal and professional development and apply that knowledge to grow our business and provide an extraordinary experience for our clients. The quickest way to gain experience and to achieve success is by following a program of self-improvement, by sharpening your skills daily and becoming more knowledgeable in the industry.

You alone have the power to improve your life and to take your business to the next level. What are you waiting for?

Editor’s Note: Maribel Ramos is a graduate and an official spokesperson of the Empowering Latinas program that was offered by Century 21 Real Estate and its affiliated brokers to Hispanic women entrepreneurs in Miami and Houston. To date, more than 300 Hispanic women have applied to the Empowering Latinas program and received a scholarship to offset the cost to obtain a real estate license. Subsequently, CENTURY 21® affiliate brokers in South Florida and Houston provided mentorships to the awardees and offered them the opportunity to hone their craft with a local franchise affiliate. CENTURY 21® and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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