March 22, 2025

Think Big, Build Smart: Success Strategies for Real Estate Agents

Just like the Hoover Dam wasn’t built in a day, neither is a successful real estate business -break down your goals and overbuild your foundation to create long-lasting success.

I recently shared a story from my trip to Las Vegas for a conference, and how, for the first time in my life, visited the Hoover Dam. What I learned about it was fascinating, so here’s a few interesting tidbits that I wanted to share: the Hoover Dam is over 700 feet tall, and at its base, it’s 660 feet thick. To put that into perspective, that’s more than two football fields—both in height and width! The amount of concrete poured into this structure is mind-blowing. But what really fascinated me was the process of building it and the lessons we can apply to our business and our goals.

Breaking Down the Big Goals

Now, imagine if the engineers had tried to pour all that concrete in one go. It would have been impossible! Not only because of the sheer amount required, but also because of something I just learned: concrete generates heat as it cures. If they had poured the dam as one giant block, it would have taken over 100 years for the concrete to fully cure and cool down. One hundred years! Can you imagine waiting that long just to finish step one of a project?

Instead, they built the Hoover Dam in sections—large blocks stacked together. Each block had to be cured before they could move on to the next one. And to speed up the process, they ran cooling pipes through the concrete, allowing them to complete the entire project in just five years instead of the planned seven.

That right there is the first major lesson: when you’re building your business, you have to break it down into manageable sections. You can’t just dump everything in at once and hope it solidifies overnight. You need a structured, step-by-step approach to growth.

Think of your business like the Hoover Dam. If you look at the entire thing at once, it can feel overwhelming. But when you break it down into smaller, achievable steps—your “blocks”—it becomes possible. Instead of saying, “I need to double my income this year,” break that down. What specific actions do you need to take this month? This week? Today? Focus on one block at a time, and before you know it, your business will be a towering success.

Overbuild for Longevity

Now, here’s another fascinating thing about the Hoover Dam: they overbuilt it by 70%. Based on engineering calculations, the dam didn’t need to be as thick or as reinforced as it is, but let’s face it, we don’t know what the future will bring, and it’s better to be over-prepared. Because they built it stronger than it needed to be, the Hoover Dam is going to be standing strong for thousands of years.

There’s a huge lesson here for real estate agents. In your business, don’t just do the bare minimum, overbuild your success.

What does that mean? It means going beyond what’s required. It means paying attention to the details, putting in extra effort, and doing more than what other agents are willing to do. Instead of making the standard number of prospecting calls, do more. Instead of following up with clients once, follow up multiple times and in different ways. Instead of just getting by, build your foundation so strong that your business will stand the test of time.

The agents who truly excel aren’t the ones doing the least amount of work possible—they’re the ones going above and beyond. They’re the ones who take extra courses, who perfect their dialogues and objection handling, who follow up diligently, who do their best to give their clients an amazing experience. When you overbuild your business, you don’t just survive—you thrive.

The Big Takeaway

When it comes to building a successful real estate business, the key is to break down your goals. Don’t try to do everything at once. Focus on building your success one step at a time, just like the Hoover Dam was built in blocks. At the same time, don’t settle for the bare minimum. Overbuild your business. Go above and beyond what’s required. Pay attention to the details, put in the extra effort, and stand out from the crowd. The agents who take that extra step are the ones who shine the brightest.

As you head into your week, take a look at your business. Are you trying to pour all your concrete at once? Or are you strategically laying the blocks for long-term success? And are you doing just enough to get by, or are you overbuilding your foundation for greatness? When you follow these two principles, you’ll build something that lasts. Your success won’t just be a temporary boost—it will be a rock-solid foundation that supports you for years to come.

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