What if your entire business model came down to one simple principle: give, give, give?

In Monday Morning Pep Talk #269, I’m revisiting the 2011 business plan that completely changed my career trajectory. That year, I made a bold decision to build my business purely on relationships—no transaction goals, no GCI targets, just a relentless focus on adding value. It was the foundation of Take Flight, and the principles I learned then are even more relevant today.

The real estate industry was in crisis—36% of all transactions in Chicago and Cook County were short sales or foreclosures, and we had 12-15+ months of inventory. Traditional lead generation tactics weren’t working. Instead of cold calling, I doubled down on helping people. By consistently providing insights and staying present when others disappeared, my business doubled for the second time in three years. That momentum shaped everything I teach today.

If you’re looking for a predictable and enjoyable way to grow your business—without the constant peaks and valleys—this episode is for you.

What You'll Learn:
✅ How 2011 taught me to build a career, not just chase transactions
✅ Why a relationship-based business is more sustainable than prospecting
✅ How top advisors stay top-of-mind by engaging their five lists
✅ The critical role of a CRM in scaling a relationship-based model
✅ Why giving isn’t about bartering—it’s about influence
✅ How leading indicators (client engagement, conversations) drive long-term success
✅ Why today's top brands win by giving first before asking for business

The 2011 Playbook – Still Relevant Today:
📌 Give, give, give—then give more
📌 Your business is built in conversations, not contracts
📌 Stop thinking in transactions, start thinking in decades
📌 If you feel helpless, be helpful—but systematize it
📌 No CRM? No business. CRM = Stability & Scale
📌 Your influence is built on authentic giving, not expectation
📌 Leading indicators (meaningful conversations) predict success, not lagging ones (closings)

Final Thought: The Modern Version of Giving
Today’s most successful brands give value before they ever ask for business. The same applies to a relationship-based real estate business. If you’re not consistently nurturing your network, engaging your past clients, and staying top-of-mind, you’ll always be forced into transactional prospecting instead of a sustainable, repeat business model.

If you want to create predictable success, watch this episode and start implementing these principles today.

📩 Get More Coaching & Resources
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🔑 The Business Plan That Changed Everything | Monday Morning Pep Talk #269 ✈️

In a competitive market, success isn’t just about selling—it’s about leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, build relationships, and close deals faster.

🔑 In this episode, I’m sharing how I use technology to streamline communication, manage transactions, and engage with my database—so you can work smarter, not harder.

📲 Here’s what you’ll learn:

1️⃣ Mastering "Send Later" for Text, Email & Instagram DMs
Timing is everything. A well-placed message can be the difference between winning or losing a client.

💡 Why This Matters:
✅ Schedule follow-ups for peak engagement
✅ Avoid late-night messages while maintaining workflow
✅ Stay consistent without being tied to your phone

🔹 How to Use It:
📩 iMessage: Tap the plus icon → Select Send Later
📧 Email: Hold send → Choose Schedule Send
📥 Instagram DMs: Hold send → Select Send Later

This strategy keeps your outreach intentional and proactive.

2️⃣ The Notes App: A Simple Yet Powerful Productivity Tool
Smart advisors use apps like Apple Notes, Evernote, or Notion to store repeatable messages.

📝 Why It Works:
✅ Saves time—quickly copy, paste, and personalize
✅ Ensures consistency across platforms
✅ Reduces mental fatigue—your best messaging is ready to go

🔹 Pro Tip:
Create a “Frequently Used Messages” folder for:
✔️ Client Check-ins
✔️ Lead Follow-ups
✔️ Thank You Notes
✔️ Market Updates

Pairing templates with scheduled sending keeps your communication personal and professional.

3️⃣ AI Assistants Like ChatGPT: Your Personal Writing Coach
If you’re not using AI, you’re falling behind. AI helps advisors draft, edit, and optimize messaging in seconds.

🤖 How AI Boosts Efficiency:
✅ Refines emails, texts, and scripts for clarity
✅ Generates client-friendly explanations for market insights
✅ Saves hours—AI gets you 85-90% of the way there instantly

🔹 How I Use It:
✍️ Refining client emails
📢 Drafting social media posts
📊 Summarizing market trends

AI won’t replace your voice—it’ll enhance it.

4️⃣ Scheduling Follow-ups Like a Pro
Forgetting to follow up = lost deals.

🔹 The Fix:
🔁 Use reminders & scheduled messages to follow up before clients expect it
📅 Keep a rolling follow-up calendar for warm leads and past clients
📝 Automate check-ins using "Send Later" to stay top of mind

By combining scheduled messaging, templates, and AI-powered writing, you can run a high-touch business without sacrificing your time.

5️⃣ Small Adjustments = Massive Gains
Success isn’t just effort—it’s strategy. High-performing advisors leverage systems to amplify results.

🔹 Ask Yourself:
✅ Where am I losing valuable time?
✅ Am I open to adopting digital strategies?
✅ Which of these 5 tips can I start using immediately?

The difference between good and great is execution. Take control of your time, maximize client engagement, and stay ahead of the competition.

📩 Get More Coaching & Resources

📬 Join My Weekly Email List: www.askjimmiller.com
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Mastering Digital Efficiency: 5 Tech Hacks for Real Estate Advisors | Monday Morning Pep Talk #270 🚀

Welcome to episode 271 of Monday Morning Pep Talk. Today, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood aspects of high-performance real estate—the battle between vision and ego.

Vision vs. Ego: The Real Battle
Your vision is the promise you’ve made to yourself—the life you want, the impact you seek. Your ego is the external fuel—rankings, recognition, competition—that pushes you forward.

📌 When ego leads, you lose sight of your purpose.
📌 When vision lacks drive, you struggle to take action.

I’ve lived both sides—from my real estate heart attack in 2008 to rebuilding my career and redefining success. Today, I’ll show you how to turn ego into fuel and ensure every step aligns with your true purpose.

Are You Letting Ego Lead?
Many advisors fall into ego-driven thoughts:
🔹 I need to be #1 to feel successful.
🔹 If I don’t beat my competitor, I’ve failed.
🔹 I must prove something to others.
🔹 I have to dominate at my age.
🔹 I need a comeback to silence doubters.
🔹 I’ll just grind—I don’t need a vision.

If these thoughts drive you, you’re chasing an empty scoreboard. The game changes when ego fuels vision—not the other way around.

Winning the Internal Battle
Ask yourself:
❓ Are you focused on your progress or distracted by others?
❓ Are you making daily commitments or searching for excuses?
❓ Are you surrounding yourself with people who elevate you?

Your mindset, habits, and strategy determine your results. If you wake up chasing external validation, you’re in a losing game. But if you’re committed to becoming the highest version of yourself, you’re on the right path.

The Commitment to You vs. You
This is why I created Take Flight—to help advisors win their battle. But here’s the truth:

➡️ The commitment must come from YOU.

If you don’t commit to competing against yourself, you’ll eventually hit your own version of a real estate heart attack.

💡 The battle is won in your mind. It lasts years, not weeks.
💡 When you push past doubt and distraction, your life transforms.

Lifting Others as You Climb
As real estate award season begins, achievements are recognized, rankings are posted. But true success isn’t just about winning your battle—it’s about helping others win theirs.

➡️ Be the mentor.
➡️ Be the encouragement.
➡️ Be the inspiration.

Take Flight: Your Next Level
At Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, 50 advisors are beginning their Take Flight journey—the coaching program I created to help advisors reach new heights.

Personal and professional growth is a continuous journey. Now is the time to commit to your next level.

🏡 That house I thought I built in 2008? Looking back, I realize the truth—That house built me.

Team, have a great week. I’ll talk to you next Monday.

🚀 Stay Connected with Jim Miller
📩 Join My Monday Morning Pep Talk Weekly Email → www.askjimmiller.com
📺 Subscribe on YouTube → www.youtube.com/channel/UCe3o0Wp1nE8dV_r1TFRb_Uw
📲 Follow on Instagram → www.instagram.com/askjimmiller
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn → www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago

The Journey to 'You vs You' | Monday Morning Pep Talk #271

✔️ The Basics Work Every Time | Monday Morning Pep Talk #273

In this episode, I walk you through one of the most powerful stories I’ve ever heard about mastery, consistency, and elite performance — told by keynote speaker and performance coach Alan Stein Jr.

Alan was invited to the first-ever Kobe Bryant Skills Academy in 2007. What he witnessed at 4:00 a.m. in a quiet Los Angeles gym changed his view of high performance forever. Kobe wasn’t doing anything flashy — he was locked in on the basics. Footwork. Jab steps. Pivots. The kind of drills most athletes leave behind early in their career. But true masters? They repeat what works.

That’s the essence of this message: Success lives in the fundamentals.

✔️ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why basic ≠ easy — and why most people confuse the two
What separates elite performers from average ones
Why the shiny new tactic is often a distraction
How to apply the principle that “success leaves clues”
A weekly challenge to double down on your fundamentals
🔁 Key Takeaways:

Success leaves clues. Study those who’ve done what you want to do.
Mastery lives in the basics. Complexity is not a requirement.
Discipline and repetition are your competitive edge.
Shortcuts feel good now but cost you later.
If the best in the world aren’t bored with the fundamentals, you shouldn’t be either.
🛠️ This Week’s Challenge:

Look around your business, your market, your industry. Who is doing what you want to do — and doing it at a high level?

What do their daily habits look like? What are they committed to doing behind the scenes that no one sees?

Pick 2–3 core fundamentals in your business. Then commit to them. Not just when it’s convenient — every single day. The blueprint is out there. It’s waiting for those who are willing to put in the work.

👉 Subscribe & turn on notifications so you never miss a Monday Morning Pep Talk or The Weekly Flight Path!

💬 Drop a comment — I’d love to hear your thoughts!

📩 Get More Coaching & Resources

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✔️ The Basics Work Every Time | Monday Morning Pep Talk #273

Burnout is not a rite of passage. It is a warning light—and this week’s Monday Morning Pep Talk is here to make sure you never ignore it again.

In Episode 274, Jim Miller gets personal and tactical. He unpacks the real reason most real estate advisors and entrepreneurs crash: they don’t schedule rest—they collapse into it. This episode outlines how to prevent burnout before it starts, with a business and life strategy that is both practical and sustainable.

If you’ve ever promised yourself, “this year will be different” but found yourself right back in the grind by April, this episode will show you how to finally break that cycle.


💡 Key Takeaway:
If you do not control your time, your business will control your life. The best advisors don’t just plan their work—they plan their recovery.

🧭 Your Mission
Start planning your business around your life—not the other way around. Be honest about your capacity. Build SOPs. Hire below your pay grade. Protect your downtime.

Because burnout doesn’t just cost you professionally.
It will cost you your joy, your health, your relationships, and your ability to lead.

"This industry will take everything you’re willing to give—and then it will ask for more." – Jim Miller
📲 Stay Connected

📩 Join My Weekly Email List:
www.askjimmiller.com

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www.instagram.com/askjimmiller

🔗 LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago

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www.youtube.com/@askjimmiller


🔥 Avoid Burnout at All Costs | Monday Morning Pep Talk #274

Welcome to Episode 275 of Monday Morning Pep Talk.

This week, we are going deep on a word that gets tossed around a lot in real estate—but rarely lived out: fiduciary.
FIDUCIARY: What It Really Means

It sounds powerful. It sounds professional. But most advisors using the word aren’t actually showing up that way in their day-to-day business.

Too many agents are functioning as facilitators—not fiduciaries. They’re taking orders, moving people from step to step, doing what’s easy—not what’s right. And clients? They can feel it.
📌 A facilitator helps.
📌 A fiduciary leads.

A true fiduciary puts the client’s interest first—even when it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, or costly. Especially then.
In this episode, I break down:
✅ Why most agents default to “suitability” thinking—and why that’s not enough
✅ The subtle ways clients know when you’re faking it
✅ What separates a true advisor from an order-taker
✅ Why trust—not likability—is the real currency that compounds
✅ How to build a business around referrals by earning trust daily

Ask Yourself This:

If you got paid nothing on a deal, would your advice change?
If the answer is yes, you’re not advising. You’re selling.
That’s the hard truth—and the standard we all need to hold ourselves to if we want to build something long-term.
This episode is your invitation to shift from transactional thinking to transformational service—to be a fiduciary not just in name, but in action.

Are You Earning Trust Every Day?

🔹 Do your clients feel safe, or sold to?
🔹 Are you showing up to impress—or to guide?
🔹 Are you willing to lose a deal to protect your client’s future?
Trust is built through behavior. It’s earned in quiet moments—when no one is watching, and there’s no commission on the line.

In real estate, your legacy is not built on sales. It’s built on service.

The Standard Has Been Raised. If you want to stand out in this market, it won’t come from louder marketing. It will come from deeper relationships and a higher level of professionalism. Lead with integrity. Advise with clarity. And put the client first—every single time.

Have a great week, team. I’ll talk to you next Monday.

🚀 Stay Connected with Jim Miller
📩 Join My Monday Morning Pep Talk Weekly Email → www.askjimmiller.com
📺 Subscribe on YouTube → www.youtube.com/channel/UCe3o0Wp1nE8dV_r1TFRb_Uw
📲 Follow on Instagram → www.instagram.com/askjimmiller
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn → www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago

FIDUCIARY: What It Really Means | Monday Morning Pep Talk Episode 275

Welcome to Episode 276 of Monday Morning Pep Talk.

This week, we’re going deep on a truth every top performer knows — you’re only as strong as your recovery.

Whether you're an elite athlete or a high-performing advisor, setbacks are part of the game. What separates the best?
It’s not just talent. It’s not just discipline.
👉 It’s the ability to mentally reset and move forward — fast.

Research confirms what we’ve seen in sports:
The highest achievers don’t just recover physically.
🧠 They recover mentally.

🎾 What the Greats Do Differently:
📌 Serena Williams resets with rituals — every serve, every match.
📌 Rafael Nadal adjusts his socks to signal a mental reboot.
📌 Tiger Woods treats each shot as a clean slate.
📌 Michael Jordan used failure as fuel.
📌 Simone Biles stepped back, reset, and returned stronger.

These aren’t quirks. They’re intentional resets, practiced to protect performance.
🧘‍♂️ Composure isn’t passive. It’s practiced.

💼 For You, the Advisor:
• A listing fell through
• A deal collapsed
• A long-term client ghosted

So what. That moment is over. The next one is waiting.

Dragging setbacks into your next appointment?
That’s what kills momentum.

🔁 Reset Process:
✅ Acknowledge — briefly
✅ Analyze — don’t dwell
✅ Adjust — if needed
✅ Advance — no residue

This is how you stay sharp, protect your energy, and perform.

💬 Ask Yourself:
Do you have reset rituals?
Are you letting one moment take over your week?
Are you ready for what’s next — or stuck on what just happened?
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to reset and keep showing up.

🛠️ This Episode Will Help You:
✅ Build mental reset habits
✅ Reframe failure into momentum
✅ Strengthen your focus under pressure
✅ Avoid the snowball of setbacks
✅ Perform with clarity, even when things feel heavy

🌪️ The world feels intense right now...
Real estate is one of the most emotional decisions people make. Now more than ever, your clarity matters.

This message is a reset — a reminder that showing up, despite everything, is winning.

🔄 The New Normal Requires a New Response:
✅ Lean in
✅ Accept what is
✅ Outwork the noise
✅ Take more shots on goal
✅ Keep your pipeline 1.5–2x your GCI target

🧭 My Professional Purpose:
I coach full-service, full-fee advisors to optimize productivity and become the best version of themselves.
Why? Because Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate.

🎧 Treat this like a 1-on-1 coaching session.
🔁 Replay it when you need it.
💡 Let it remind you who you are — and why you’re built for this.

🔗 Stay Connected with Jim Miller:
📩 Weekly Email → www.askjimmiller.com
📺 YouTube → www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller
📲 Instagram → www.instagram.com/askjimmiller
🔗 LinkedIn → www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago

📺 IN A RUT? Here’s What Works | Monday Morning Pep Talk Episode # 276

Welcome to Episode 277 of Monday Morning Pep Talk. This week is about clarity — how to find it faster and use it with purpose.

For over a decade, I’ve been disciplined about planning and goal setting. But even with structure, I sometimes struggled to lock into clarity during my daily and weekly sessions. I was asking good questions — but not the right one.

👉 Then I found it — a question that now anchors my daily, weekly, and quarterly rhythm.

🧠 The Power of the Right Question:
📌 “If I were looking back on today/week/quarter, what would have to have happened — personally and professionally — for me to feel like I made meaningful progress?”

Simple. Practical. A sledgehammer for focus.

📆 Daily | 🗓 Weekly | 📊 Quarterly
This mindset — rooted in the 3-Year Vision philosophy from Strategic Coach — creates clarity that compounds over time. I break it all down in this episode and show you how to apply it across your entire business.

💼 For You, the Advisor: • Your outreach feels scattered
• You're not sure where to start reconnecting
• Your pipeline needs energy — and momentum

You don’t need to do more. You need to start with better questions — to yourself and to your clients.

🔁 Your Reconnection Strategy: 
✅ Leave a message or text: “I have a quick market update I think you’ll want to hear. Call me when you have a minute.”
✅ When they call back, say: “It’s been five years since COVID shifted the market. Based on the data, your home is likely worth between X and Y.”
✅ Then ask: “How is your home performing for you?”

That single question opens the door to meaningful conversations — without sounding like a salesperson. Listen for life changes, log notes, follow up. Repeat across your Top 100.

🧘‍♂️ Composure isn’t passive. It’s practiced.

🛠️ This Episode Will Help You:
✅ Ask the right questions to unlock clarity
✅ Build a repeatable reconnection framework
✅ Turn small daily wins into quarterly momentum
✅ Reset your mindset with one powerful question
✅ Strengthen consistency — even during busy seasons

💬 Ask Yourself:
Are you taking time to plan with intention?
Are you clear on what “progress” looks like today?
Are you showing up strong — or stuck in the noise?

📈 The momentum you want is on the other side of better questions.
.
🔗 Stay Connected with Jim Miller:
📩 Join My Weekly Email → www.askjimmiller.com
📺 Subscribe on YouTube → www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller
📲 Follow on Instagram → www.instagram.com/askjimmiller
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn → www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago

Ask The Right Questions | Monday Morning Pep Talk Episode # 277

Welcome to Episode 279 of Monday Morning Pep Talk.

In this episode, we are talking about time optimization — and why the best way to manage your time is the way that actually works for you.

There is no universal perfect system. True optimization is about building a rhythm that matches your style, protects your time, and ensures you stay productive and consistent without burning out. Elite advisors do not waste time chasing perfection — they simplify, eliminate, automate, and protect their most valuable resource.

👉 What You Will Learn in This Real Estate Productivity Training:

📌 The Myth of the Perfect System:
Success comes from consistency, not complexity. Learn why your approach should fit your natural workflow — not someone else’s formula.

📌 10 Essential Time Optimization Strategies:
From eliminating low-value activities to upgrading tech, automating tasks, and delegating wisely — these principles keep you in control of your time.

📌 Analog Meets Digital:
Hear why even top producers use simple, analog tools to execute their daily plans — and why this balance helps maintain focus.

📌 Breaking the Scroll and Setting Boundaries:
Social media, streaming, and interruptions can hijack your focus. Learn how to stop distractions and guard your calendar.

📌 The Power of AI and Delegation:
Use AI and smart delegation to eliminate tasks below your profit per hour — buying back time to focus on what matters most.

📌 Reinvesting Saved Time:
Understand how to take the time you save and pour it back into your personal well-being and high-value business activities.

👉 This Episode Will Help You:

✅ Stop chasing rigid routines and do what works for you
✅ Build a sustainable, repeatable rhythm for your day and week
✅ Eliminate busywork and increase time for revenue-generating activities
✅ Avoid burnout and maintain control of your time and priorities
✅ Reinforce that consistency — not perfection — is the key to scaling your business

💬 Ask Yourself:

• Am I forcing a time management system that does not fit how I work?
• Am I protecting my time — or letting distractions control my day?
• Am I reinvesting saved time into what matters most?

📌 If you are uncertain, this episode will give you a better way forward.

🔗 Stay Connected with Jim Miller — Real Estate Coaching for Advisors:

📩 Join My Weekly Email → www.askjimmiller.com
📺 Subscribe on YouTube → www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller
📲 Follow on Instagram → www.instagram.com/askjimmiller
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn → www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago

Time Optimization — Do What Works For You | Monday Morning Pep Talk Episode #279

Summer is a transitional season—routines shift, energy changes, and the structure of your week gets looser. But for top real estate advisors, summer is not a slowdown—it’s a reset. In this episode of Monday Morning Pep Talk, Jim Miller lays out a focused, tactical plan to make this your most intentional, productive summer yet.

Whether you’re closing deals or catching sunsets, this episode is your guide to blending growth with enjoyment—because a purposeful summer builds a sharper fall.

🧠 What You Will Learn in This Episode:
• 5 Essential Books – Curated titles to reshape how you think, lead, and operate.
• 3 Podcasts – Weekly listening to strengthen skills and shift perspective.
• Weekly Check-In Ritual – A Sunday/Monday habit to reset your week with clarity and intention.
• Morning Routine Framework – A 60-minute template to activate your body, mind, and business.
• AI Growth Challenge – Commit to 10 hours of learning and stay ahead of the industry curve.

This is your opportunity to design your growth. Self-development is not about doing more—it’s about becoming more. Let this be the season you upgrade your inputs, sharpen your tools, and build a business that reflects the best version of you.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR WEEKLY COACHING CONTENT
New episodes every week with real estate strategies, systems, and insights to help you grow, lead, and Take Flight.
• Weekly Coaching Email → https://askjimmiller.com/contact/

📚 RESOURCES
• Reading List → https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/
• About Jim + Useful Docs → https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/

📲 CONNECT WITH JIM
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller

📘 Your Summer 2025 Self Development Syllabus | Monday Morning Pep Talk #282

Jim Miller is a success mentor and life coach who guides top real estate brokers from around the country while managing 2.3B+ in sales production as Designated Managing Broker with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty in Chicago, Illinois.  He is also recognized as a top real estate coach to top Sotheby's International Realty brokers in 35 luxury markets.

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