Why saying “I tried” keeps you stuck in your career

1. Understand where you “stack”

If you have 10 people in any organization, you’re almost always going to have 2-3 that consistently are at the top, 4-5 that stay in the middle and 2-3 who end up not working out. If you find yourself stuck in the middle 4-5, ask yourself why. You can’t judge this week by week, but in 6 months to a year, it’s obvious where you fall within that “stack” in your organization. 

2. Be coachable

If you’re in the “bottom-middle” of your ranking, it’s going to be a long road to be at the very top, but it’s very achievable to go from “below average” to “above average”. Oftentimes, you get stuck here because you simply aren’t being coachable. If you keep doing things the exact way you’ve been doing it, it’s simply never going to get better.

3. Admit there’s something you’re missing and seek help

 If half of your organization is doing better than you, then there’s something you can do differently. That fire to improve gives you that “why” to make these needed changes. Find out what those top 2-3 people are doing differently that you’re not. Is it simply effort, or do they have systems in place to succeed and you don’t?  Find out what piece you’re missing. 

4. Effort is everything

It’s a bit of a cliche, but it’s true, what you put in is usually what you get out. You really have to be honest with yourself and ask yourself what you’re doing with that time. If you called 20 prospects, what’s your plan after that to keep staying busy? Find out how you’re spending that time, and if it can be used for effectively towards your goals

How to shift that “tried” mindset

Why this message matters for team leaders

As a team leader, if your team is using “I tried” as a shield, replication becomes impossible. Teams need clarity in accountability. When leaders model this “stacking” method, and constantly look to replace the bottom 15% to keep raising the bar, it sets a culture where agents are expected to own their numbers, and support them to refine their systems

Conclusion

Settling into the middle is a choice. Top performers don’t settle. They own outcomes. They test, adjust, and push. Want to elevate yourself, or your team? Start by replacing ambiguous effort with explicit accountability. Empower yourself to measure what matters—and be coachable to do more than just try.

Jason Mitchell is the CEO of The Jason Mitchell Group (JMG). 

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HousingWire’s editorial department and its owners.

To contact the editor responsible for this piece: zeb@hwmedia.com.