What if the difference between a sluggish year and a breakout one wasn’t a new strategy…
but a 2-minute habit?
James Clear’s Atomic Habits is one of the most powerful frameworks out there for business professionals — and it’s especially useful for commercial real estate brokers trying to break out of deal-chasing mode.
This isn’t about working harder.
It’s about designing better systems.
Here’s how the Atomic Habits method applies directly to CRE brokers—and how tiny, consistent changes can reshape your business trajectory.
The 4 Laws of Behavior Change (And How to Use Them in CRE)
1. Make It Obvious (Cue)
Let’s face it—most brokers react to the day instead of owning it.
To flip that, create visual cues that prompt key actions:
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Put your top 20 prospects on a sticky note on your desk
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Use calendar alerts to schedule prospecting and marketing blocks
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Stack habits: “After I check emails at 9am, I’ll message 3 new contacts on LinkedIn”
🎯 Implementation example:
“I will review my pipeline at 8:30am in my CRM, at my desk, with coffee in hand.”
2. Make It Attractive (Craving)
Prospecting, follow-ups, writing market updates—it’s easy to procrastinate.
So make these things more appealing:
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Pair it with something you enjoy (listen to your favorite playlist while cold calling)
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Join a small accountability group or mastermind of other brokers
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Reframe the habit: instead of “Ugh, I have to do outreach,” think “This is how I generate opportunity on demand.”
💡 Key mindset shift:
You’re not doing outreach. You’re building your pipeline security.
3. Make It Easy (Response)
The biggest enemy of progress? Friction.
Reduce resistance by lowering the activation energy of your habits:
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Use the two-minute rule: “I’ll just write one sentence of my newsletter” or “I’ll just open my CRM”
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Pre-load email templates and scripts for outreach
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Set up recurring reminders to send follow-up texts after tours
📦 Automate what you can:
Use tools for scheduling, database management, and even social media posting.
4. Make It Satisfying (Reward)
Progress is addictive—if you can see it.
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Track lead measures (calls made, emails sent, follow-ups booked)
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Celebrate small wins: landed a tour? Hit your weekly prospecting goal? Acknowledge it.
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Use tools like a simple whiteboard tracker or CRM dashboards
⚠️ Golden Rule: Never miss twice.
Fall off for a day? Get back on the horse the next.
How to Break Bad Habits (The CRE Edition)
Want to stop wasting time scrolling LinkedIn, avoiding prospecting, or reacting to emails all day?
Flip the script:
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Make it invisible: Turn off notifications, clear the desk clutter, log out of social media
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Make it unattractive: Write down what skipping lead gen is costing you every week
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Make it difficult: Delete time-wasting apps from your phone
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Make it unsatisfying: Use an accountability partner who tracks your effort, not just your results
The Real Secret: Tiny Gains Compound
Clear’s math is simple:
If you get 1% better every day, you’re 37x better after a year.
That’s the difference between “just surviving” and becoming the broker people call first.
🚫 Skip a few days here and there?
You’ll barely move.
✅ Show up consistently, even in tiny ways?
You’ll outpace the market.
Takeaways for CRE Brokers
→ Identity > Goals
Don’t just say “I want to hit $500k GCI.”
Say, “I’m the type of broker who shows up daily and drives business proactively.”
→ Systems > Willpower
Set up workflows and routines so your habits happen automatically—without needing to “feel motivated.”
→ Every Action is a Vote
Every time you prospect, follow up, or publish, you’re casting a vote for the business you want.
Want to build a system of winning habits for your CRE practice?
Start by picking one tiny habit this week:
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Open your CRM at the same time every day
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Write one line of a market update
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Reach out to 3 past clients just to reconnect
Momentum starts small.
But if you stay with it, it becomes unavoidable
