"Lars told me, 'I don't care if you do any more production. You need to get your family in mind.' I'm doing more business but I don't feel as heavy and stressed as I was this time last year. It was a total paradigm shift to see that you can have that peace and still make a lot of money."
When Justin Udy (http://www.justinudy.com) met Lars at a seminar last November, he was at a breaking point. That year, his business had been doing well - he and a buyer's agent closed 70 transactions - but he was burned out. He was tired of sacrificing his family life for the time he was putting into building a successful real estate business.
"I told myself, 'I've got to find a better way or I have to get out of the business. It's not serving me or my family,'" says Justin. "I was praying to figure out what I should do. Lars sat next to me at a seminar, and looking back I really feel like I was guided to him."
They started talking, and Lars explained that he'd been in that exact situation, and he now works with agents to address exactly what Justin was struggling with. During that initial conversation Lars identified a few things Justin could be doing differently. And after evaluating his business and thinking through his 2014 goals, Justin began the full coaching program in February.
"One of the big things he said to me, which was totally opposite from what I hear with other coaching, was 'I don't care if you do any more production - you've got to get your family in mind. You have to make sure you're getting home. You can't be rolling home at 8pm every night and expect to have an amazing relationship with your wife and your kids.'"
"Obviously, we're all coaching so we can make more money and do better," Justin adds, "but he made me think about things a little bit differently. And that hit home, because that is where I want to be. Honestly, even 9 months later, I'm still working to improve it, but things are much better."
What he's found most helpful is taking care of the little things, like not taking phone calls. He's removed his number from the Multiple Listing Service, and his assistant now answers all inbound calls. "These little things allowed me to leave and be present with my family. I changed my voice mail message to make it clear I won't return phone calls after a certain time. It's allowed me to get more present with my family."
He's closed more transactions this year - 82, and he's on track for 96 - so he's doing more business. It's the improved quality of life, though, that's meant the most to Justin. "I don't feel as heavy and stressed as I was this time last year. That was the main thing. A lot of items were taken off my plate because of the systems Lars suggested that I implement. It just gave me a little bit of peace when I really needed it."
He'd done some coaching through different organizations in the past, and they helped him develop different skills and benefited him in many ways. What he was lacking, though, was the ability to build something greater than himself. He needed someone to help him reach his ultimate goal - to duplicate himself so he could start doing the things he wanted to do.
"It's been 9 years of being anchored to my phone, always going after that next deal," says Justin. "But this Saturday, me and my 6-year-old girl went to an indoor pool, then went out and ate together. Before I would never have been comfortable leaving my phone an entire Saturday with as many listings as we have. I'm now able to have more of those moments."
Before Lars, Justin had never known anyone who could do that while still running a successful real estate business. "It took somebody saying that you can have that and still make a lot of money," he says. "It was a total paradigm shift to actually see someone do it. When I saw that it was possible, my perspective completely changed."
Justin's ultimate goal is to be completely out of the business within two years. "Success to me is, first of all, being close to my Maker. Second, being super close with my family - an amazing relationship with my wife and being a best friend to my kids. And finally, working with who I want when I want to.
"There are new skill sets to learn and things to implement. It's not just some packaged gift. I expect to work hard, I expect to earn it. But I'm finally moving toward having complete control over my life without being forced in a direction that doesn't serve me."
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