The Millionaire Real Estate Agent Podcast | Episode 115

Title: End-of-Year Reflections: Why Some Agents Are Thriving in Today’s Market and Others Aren’t
Host: Jason Abrams (Keller Podcast Network)
Date: December 29, 2025

Overview:

This year-end episode finds Jason Abrams reflecting on a striking trend in real estate: while some agents are thriving at unprecedented levels, others are struggling. Jason explores the key factors that separate those who flourish—even in tough markets—from those left behind, weaving in insights from thought leaders, industry examples, and practical stories. The episode centers on self-leadership, the power of belief and wisdom, and building a business (and life) around what you love.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Do Some Agents Thrive and Others Don’t?

Theme: The fundamental difference is mindset and approach—especially how agents lead themselves every day.

• Self-Management Challenge (03:00)
  • Jason cites research from Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?:

    "75% of people quit their job because of their direct line manager... 65% of Americans say they’d rather change their boss than get a pay raise... and you’re your own boss in real estate. What does that actually say about us?”
    (Jason Abrams, 04:15)

• Takeaway: Success starts with mastering the self. If you can’t lead yourself, you can’t lead others.

2. The Relationship Between Belief, Knowledge, and Wisdom

Learning from Robert Ringer’s Million Dollar Habits (08:00):

• “The greater your knowledge and wisdom, the more confident you are about your beliefs...”
  (Jason reading Ringer, 08:45)
• Jason emphasizes that knowledge is learned, but wisdom is innate and must be unlocked—often by encountering the right people or ideas.
• Meaningful Moments:
  • Gary Keller called a “locksmith” for Jason’s own growth; pivotal influences unlock our inherent wisdom.
  • “Who do you have in your life right now that’s unlocking your wisdom?... if you don’t see anyone, run from your current peer group as fast as you can and find someone to listen to...”
    (Jason Abrams, 12:00)

3. Money, Compensation, and Value

Crucial insights from The Wealthy Gardener (15:30):

• "Compensation is something we get for something we give. It’s repayment for a contribution that is needed and useful."
  (Jason reading, 16:00)
• Four elements drive your income:
  • Need for your service (you are vital as a real estate agent)
  • How well you perform it (competency is the baseline, not the ceiling)
  • The difficulty of replacing you
  • How many people you get to serve (i.e., scale)
• “You are so vital. Your service is so needed. You should feel so damn proud to be a real estate agent—you help people navigate... the most complex and impactful financial decision of their lives.”
  (Jason Abrams, 18:00)

4. Lead Generation: The Essential Differentiator

• Market Shifts and Lead Gen (21:00)
  • In a contracting market (e.g., transaction volume falling from 6+ million to ~4 million), motivation and systems matter more than ever.
  • “Busyness doesn't lead to business... lead generation is your business."
    (Jason Abrams, 22:50)
• The Defining Question:
  • “Do you force yourself to do lead gen you don’t like, or do you build your business around things you love and call that lead gen? The agents in the second group are thriving.”
    (Jason Abrams, 25:00)

5. Stories of Agents Who Thrive by Doing What They Love

Memorable Examples:

• The Walker (26:00)
  • Sent postcards: “I’m trying to lose weight... I’ll be walking every morning 6:30-7:30, come join me.”
  • Grew a walking club of 15-40 people; now handles >60% of listings in the neighborhood.
  • “My whole life I wasn’t strong enough to walk for me, but it turns out I’m strong enough to walk for everybody else.”
    (Agent, 28:30)
• The Gym Real Estate Agent (29:30)
  • Personal trainer-turned-agent; wears workout gear with “Ask Me About Real Estate” at the gym.
  • “She does 60 transactions a year running that [workout] model. That’s her model and that’s the uniform that she wears every day to do it.”
    (Jason Abrams, 31:00)
• Sheena and Speed-Friending (32:00)
  • Tackles loneliness epidemic; hosts monthly “speed-friending” events.
  • Virtual community now 10k+; “She’s going to sell over 700 homes this year doing what she loves: solving problems and connecting people.”
    (Jason Abrams, 33:10)
• The Front Yard Party Host (34:00)
  • Quarterly front yard parties: kids’ section, adult gatherings, creates community—now carries ~70% of listings in the neighborhood.
• The Dinner Party Maven (Renee) (35:00)
  • Small, luxe weekly dinner parties for influential locals; creates exclusivity and deep connections.
• The Board Game Enthusiast (36:00)
  • Weekly bar night hosting board games; grows network via shared joy.

All stories share:

• Leveraging what you love, inviting others, making it easy for them, and being present.
• “They wake up in the morning and ask: what do I love to do? And they know full well there’s another group of people that also love the same thing...”
  (Jason Abrams, 37:00)

6. Building Your Own Path: The Rules

Jason’s Five Steps for Agents to Thrive:

1. Decide what you genuinely love to do—write these hobbies down (37:15)
2. Commit to doing it consistently (weekly, quarterly, annually)
3. Do it with others—invite your network or strangers
4. Make the event easy for others
5. Be truly present

Notable quote:
“It’s pulling the hobbies from the past into the future, doing them in a new way that might set you free.”
(Jason Abrams, 37:30)

7. The Real Estate Calling: Reclaim Entrepreneurial Spirit

• “Somehow, we all end up here. Most will tell you it was a fluke... this thing of ours, this real estate industry, there’s no place else like it.”
  (Jason Abrams, 38:15)
• Real fulfillment is not just about money, but about living with joy and intention.

8. Personal Growth & Embracing Change

• Insights from Michael Singer’s The Untethered Soul (39:00):
  • Change is inevitable and can be either exciting or frightening, depending on your mindset.
  • “If you have a lot of fear, you won’t like change... But here’s the thing about life: life presents opportunities, very rarely does it produce outcomes. The outcomes are created by your actions.”
    (Jason Abrams, paraphrasing Singer, 39:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Leadership starts with oneself, moves into another individual, and then ultimately you earn the right to lead a team.”
  (Jason Abrams, 05:50)
• “Competency is not rewarded. It’s expected.”
  (Jason Abrams, 19:30)
• "Why would you wake up every day and force yourself to do something you don't like? That's not what this industry is supposed to be."
  (Jason Abrams, 25:15)
• “If you can become the change agent in somebody’s life, you don’t have to look for a lead again.”
  (Jason Abrams, 28:10)
• “Pulling the hobbies from the past into the future, but doing them in a new way, might be exactly what sets you free.”
  (Jason Abrams, 37:30)
• “The money is the byproduct. Fulfillment comes from the journey that we’re all on.”
  (Jason Abrams, 38:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Introduction and episode framing | | 03:00 | Self-leadership and management, Gallup study insights | | 08:00 | Wisdom, knowledge, and belief – unlocking personal potential | | 15:30 | Insights on compensation and value from The Wealthy Gardener | | 21:00 | Lead generation as core business activity and market realities | | 26:00 | Stories: Agents succeeding via walking, fitness, and networking | | 37:00 | The “rules” for agent success—building business around your passion | | 38:15 | Reflection on the industry, reclaiming entrepreneurial spirit | | 39:00 | Insights on change, growth, and fear from The Untethered Soul |

Final Thoughts

Jason closes with gratitude for the community, encouraging listeners to treat real estate as a calling, not a chore; to focus on leading themselves; and to build models and systems in line with their passions.

“You are the greatest audience in the history of the real estate multiverse... thank you for everything you will do in 2026.”
(Jason Abrams, 39:20)