Overcome the fear of cold calling by taking action—because in any market, the agents who connect consistently are the ones who win.

During a recent POWER AGENT® coaching session, we talked a lot about mindset, productivity, and dialing for dollars in today’s market. 

One agent shared, “I was a mortgage banker back in 2007, 2008, and 2009. I watched the market crash, and everyone around me was panicking—running around like chickens with their heads cut off. But even then, there was a group of people making money. There’s always someone making money. The key? They found their niche, stayed prepared, and took action.” 

He was absolutely right. There’s always someone making money. While some people may be struggling now, investors, for example, are coming in strong, scooping up opportunities.  

Real estate professionals who stay focused, flexible, and proactive will always find ways to serve—and succeed. Whether the market is booming or dipping, opportunity doesn’t disappear. It just changes form. And when you have the right mindset and tools, you can pivot and profit. 

Connection Over Perfection

Do you ever find yourself staring at the phone… analyzing every listing… rereading your script… and still not making the call?

You’re not alone. MOST agents hit that wall.

The Association for Psychological Science says, “True procrastination is a complicated failure of self-regulation: experts define it as the voluntary delay of some important task that we intend to do, despite knowing that we’ll suffer as a result. A poor concept of time may exacerbate the problem, but an inability to manage emotions seems to be its very foundation.”

Whether it’s fear of rejection, fear of failure, or just the discomfort of the unknown—procrastination doesn’t protect you. It paralyzes you.

Back in the BC era (Before Computers), Darryl used to clip FSBO ads from the newspaper, tape them to index cards, and obsess over every detail before picking up the phone. He believed he had to be fully prepared before he earned the right to dial.

But what actually changed everything? He stopped trying to be perfect—and started focusing on being present. He let go of the pressure to “get the appointment” and instead made it about making a connection.

And here’s the real secret: the more calls he made, the better he got. Confidence didn’t come from prepping—it came from doing. Repetition replaced fear. Action replaced avoidance. And that’s when results showed up.

Related reading: The Transformational Power of Breaking Through Your Fear 

Why Overanalyzing Hurts More Than It Helps 

Think of it like chess. Whether your pieces are made of plastic, marble, or paper mâché, the rules of the game are the same. Likewise, the FSBOs you’re calling might be in different neighborhoods, price ranges, or situations—but the conversation follows the same structure: 

“Hi, I’m calling about the house for sale. Is it still available? This is [Your Name] from [Your Brokerage]. I saw your ad and was wondering if you’re open to working with an agent. I’m just curious—is the reason you’re selling on your own to save the commission? Where are you moving to? Why there? When do you need to be there by?” 

No matter who picks up or where the house is, that conversation opens the door. 

Related reading: Eight SELF Management Strategies for Life and Business 

Related reading: Psychology Today – 5 Simple Steps to Retrain Your Over-Analyzing Mind 

Speed Is Your Friend 

The more you analyze, the fewer calls you make. The fewer calls you make, the fewer conversations you have. And without conversations, there are no listings. At the end of the day, this isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being productive. Get on the phone. Make the calls. You don’t need to know everything. You just need to start. 

The opportunity is there—stop overanalyzing and power through them.  If you’re a real estate professional waiting for the “perfect moment,” stop waiting. Start dialing. The opportunity is already out there—it’s just waiting for you to show up. 

Learn more about the POWER AGENT® PROGRAM 

• Join Darryl’s Inner Circle Facebook Group. We are always posting fresh ideas, training tools, strategies, and templates, along with hosting important, timely discussions with real estate professionals across the globe who are committed to their Next Level® of success and life.  

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