Video not loading? Click here to watch it on YouTube!
If you’re wondering why your real estate business isn’t growing despite all your hustling, I need you to pause.
Take a breath.
And rethink how you’re approaching your business.
I’ve seen too many agents stuck in survival mode, working endless hours, constantly checking emails, and still feeling like they’re barely keeping their head above water.
One day you’re closing deals left and right. The next day you’re in a slump, wondering where your next client will come from. And there you are, caught in the middle, burning yourself out without creating the systems that could set you free.
But there’s a better way. A path to peace, profitability, and purpose that has nothing to do with working harder.
Let me walk you through how healing from unhealed trauma transformed my business — and how it can transform yours too.
Hustling Is Not a Strategy, It’s a Trauma Response
Working around the clock isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a trauma response.
When you’re constantly in “urgent mode,” checking emails late at night, working every weekend, and never taking time to rest, you’re not showing dedication. You’re showing unhealed trauma.
One of my coaching clients was working 70+ hours every week. She was making good money, but missing her children’s baseball games, skipping family gatherings, and destroying her health. Why? Because somewhere deep inside, she believed if she wasn’t constantly working, everything would fall apart.
Relying on hustle for your business strategy is like trying to drive cross-country on a single tank of gas. You might make some progress, but you’ll never reach your destination.
What patterns from your past might be showing up in how you run your business today? Do you find yourself unable to trust others with tasks? Are you constantly worried about not having enough clients or income?
Healing Is Essential to Becoming a CEO
Hebrews tells us about rest: “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.”
When I first started in real estate, I worked incredibly long days, struggled to secure clients, and constantly worried about my next commission check. I thought if something needed to be done right, only I could do it.
Then God revealed something transformative: my unhealed trauma was manifesting in my business practices.
I realized I didn’t trust:
– Systems to work without my constant oversight
– Processes to deliver results consistently
– People to handle responsibilities without my micromanagement
I had become addicted to being needed, which prevented me from building a scalable business.
So I began healing. I studied business systems through a biblical lens. I grew in my faith. And remarkable changes followed.
I built effective systems. I trusted others to handle tasks without my constant supervision. I scheduled rest as a non-negotiable part of my business strategy.
Healing became my business superpower. It grounded me in faith rather than fear and made me less reactive to everyday business challenges.
Deuteronomy 8:18 tells us that God has given us the power to get wealth. This scripture reveals that God cares about our business success and has equipped us with everything we need to prosper.
How might your business transform if you operated from a place of trust rather than control?
Five Practical Ways to Shift from Hustling to CEO Thinking
Here are five actionable strategies to begin healing and shifting your mindset today:
1. Schedule Rest as a Business Strategy
I don’t work on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays. This rest isn’t optional—it’s a core business strategy.
When you rest, you create space for:
– Creative thinking about your business
– Strategic planning rather than reactive firefighting
– Spiritual renewal and perspective
Try this: Block off one full day this week where you completely disconnect from work. Notice how it affects your productivity and creativity when you return.
2. Track Your Energy, Not Just Your Closings
Pay attention to what drains you versus what energizes you in your business activities.
I discovered administrative tasks completely depleted me. It wasn’t about capability—these tasks triggered my survival mode thinking. The solution? I delegated them to focus on high-energy activities.
Try this: Make two columns on a piece of paper. For one week, record which business activities energize you and which deplete you. Look for patterns that reveal where healing or delegation might be needed.
3. Learn to Say No Without Guilt
Every commitment to the wrong client or project pulls you back into survival mode.
I now practice value-aligned decisions. My core values are family and time, so I say yes to opportunities that allow me to systematize my business and spend more time with loved ones.
Try this: Write down your top three values. Before accepting your next opportunity, ask yourself: “Does this align with my values or pull me away from them?”
4. Shift Your Definition of Success
Rather than measuring success by closings or commission, measure how you feel each week.
I evaluate my business success by how much I accomplish with time left to spare. True success combines time freedom, financial freedom, and energy freedom.
Try this: At the end of each week, don’t just count your financial wins. Ask yourself: “Did I have energy for what matters most? Did I have time for my priorities outside of work?”
5. Invest in Healing Support
Your business will only grow to the extent that you do personally.
Invest in therapy. Find a mindset coach. Join a faith community that supports growth. Do the inner work necessary to transcend survival thinking.
Try this: Identify one area where past experiences might be limiting your business growth. Research one resource (book, counselor, coach) that could help you heal in this area.
How Healing Transforms Your Client Relationships
When you operate from healing rather than hustle, client interactions improve dramatically.
One realtor I coached couldn’t establish boundaries with clients. They contacted her at all hours, expected immediate responses, and left her exhausted. Through our work together, she recognized this pattern stemmed from childhood experiences where her worth was tied to being available to others.
After beginning her healing journey, she implemented new practices:
– Clear communication windows in her client welcome materials
– Automated systems for after-hours inquiries
– Upfront expectations established in initial consultations
The results? Her business flourished. Clients respected her boundaries and valued her services more highly. She had renewed energy to serve them effectively during her designated working hours.
What would happen if you stopped being available around the clock and instead created systems that served both you and your clients better?
How to turn off your survival mode and turn on your CEO mode
When you heal and transition from survival mode to CEO thinking, profound changes occur:
– You develop trust in systems and people rather than micromanaging everything
– You establish clear boundaries that protect your energy
– You make strategic decisions focused on long-term growth
– You build wealth that spans generations, not just immediate survival
– You understand that rest powers productivity, not the other way around
One client remained stuck at six figures for years despite extraordinary effort. After we identified her unhealed trauma around money and success, she experienced a breakthrough.
She shared: “I always believed my worth came from constant work. Now I understand my systems can work effectively without my constant presence—that’s the essence of being a CEO.”
What limiting beliefs might be keeping you working harder instead of smarter?
Creating Your Healing-Based Business Plan
Here’s a practical roadmap that you can follow from NOW:
1. Identify specific areas where you’re operating in survival mode:
– Do you struggle to delegate important tasks?
– Do you feel anxious when not actively working?
– Are you resistant to implementing automated systems?
2. Connect these patterns to their roots:
– Where did you learn that you must do everything yourself?
– What experiences taught you not to trust others or systems?
– How has financial insecurity shaped your work habits?
3. Develop systems that support healing:
– Create client onboarding processes that establish healthy boundaries
– Build automated follow-up sequences for leads
– Establish clear expectations with team members
4. Implement new success metrics:
– Track your energy levels throughout the week
– Measure time spent with family and in personal renewal
– Evaluate business growth alongside personal wellbeing
5. Practice trust as a discipline:
– Start with delegating small tasks and gradually increase responsibility
– Document successful outcomes from your systems
– Celebrate when processes work without your direct involvement
When you build your business on healing rather than hustle, you create sustainable growth that doesn’t come at the cost of your wellbeing.
My office now operates with systems that function while I sleep, a team I trust completely, and a business that funds my life rather than consuming it.
I no longer sacrifice my health, family, or peace for another closing. This approach aligns with God’s design for business ownership—prosperity without burnout.
My clients don’t choose me because I’m perpetually available. They select me because I’m effective, strategic, and operate from abundance rather than scarcity.
Can you imagine what your business might look like if it operated from a foundation of healing rather than constant striving?
If you’re weary of constant hustle and ready to build a sustainable, profitable business based on healing rather than exhaustion, I want to help.
Remember, identifying and addressing what’s holding you back often requires support. Consider working with a coach who understands both business systems and personal healing. Learn more at TheCEOofRealEstate.com
Your transformation begins with recognizing that working harder isn’t the answer—healing is.
Sign up for my CEO newsletter for free and grab your healing-based business habits guide here: https://cheesettecowan.myflodesk.com/healinghabits
