Let me be blunt: if you're not winning right now, it's probably not the market—it's you.

I’ve watched agents thrive in the exact same conditions where others struggle, and the difference comes down to three things: mindset, market knowledge, and skill. You lock in those three and you become untouchable, no matter what rates are doing or how unrealistic sellers get.

1. Mindset Is the First Domino

The biggest shift you need to make is how you think. Most agents walk into a listing appointment already defeated. Why? Because they’ve decided sellers are “unrealistic” and they’re afraid of having a hard pricing conversation. That belief kills deals before they start.

Here’s the truth: if you’re not taking listings, it’s not because sellers are unreasonable—it’s because you’re not confident enough to lead them. Your mindset is either limiting you or leveraging you. Pick one.

The foundational model I live by is the Circles of Control:

• Control: Your mindset, your skill, your effort.

• Influence: Your conversations, your tone, your presence.

• Concern: Interest rates, market inventory, seller expectations.

Too many agents spend their energy in concern instead of control. If you're worried about rates or AI or NAR settlements, but you’re not investing in getting better conversations, you’re losing.

2. Understand Your Market, Not Just the Stats

Stop looking at six-month-old comps like they mean something. They don’t. The market has shifted, and buyers are responding to what’s available now.

If you’re not actively tracking active listings vs. pending sales, you’re blind. That one ratio tells you how long listings are taking to move—and how many sellers are pricing to sell vs. pricing to sit.

Here’s a quick test:
If there are 30 homes active and only 3 going pending each week, you have a 10-week supply. To sell now, your listing needs to be in the top 10% of value. If it’s not, it’s invisible.

3. Skill Is the Equalizer

Let me ask you a question:
Does more days on market get your seller more money?
The answer is always no.

So why are you scared to price it right the first time?

Here’s the play: Ask the seller what they think happens to homes that sit too long. Most will admit they don’t know. That’s your opportunity to lead. Walk them through buyer psychology. Walk them through the stair-step pricing trap. Help them see the logic.

And if they say, “Can we just try a higher price?” you say:

“If we try it and sit, we risk netting less than if we price it right now. I’m happy to build a pricing strategy with you that adjusts quickly, but only if you’re okay with potentially getting less.”

If they still push back, be willing to walk. Because chasing overpriced listings is not strategy—it’s survival mode. And you don’t build a career on hope.

Bottom Line

This is a skill-based market now. The order is simple:

1. Get your mindset right.

2. Know your market better than anyone.

3. Practice your delivery until you could do it in your sleep.

That’s how the pros win. That’s how you win.

Want help building that system so you’re not winging it? Let’s talk.