Verl Workman, CEO of Workman Success Systems, stood on a stage while cameras streamed Leverage ‘21 to 1,700 virtual audience members viewing from the comfort of their own homes. He kicked off the real estate event of the year, speaking honest words about his life, his dreams, and all things that inspire him to uplift others, and his message and the theme of this year’s event became abundantly clear. Verl’s wish was that every attendee left the conference with the “ICAN” attitude they needed to pursue their own goals and dreams in their lives and careers. He pushed the clicker in his hand and the screens behind him lit up with a quote from The Greatest Salesman in the World. 

I will remove from my vocabulary such words and phrases as quit, cannot, unable, impossible, out of the question, improbable, failure, unworkable, hopeless, and retreat; for they are the words of fools.

Og Mandino

This year, Leverage was about putting the phrase “ICAN” back into everyone’s vocabulary and to instill a belief in oneself. Having that core belief in yourself has so much say in our individual successes, or lack thereof. 

Over the next two days, Leverage speakers poured their heart and souls into the “ICAN” concept and encouraged growth through their unique and powerful perspectives. Here are some of their most poignant ideas that are meant to change the conventions in a world full of “I can’ts.” 

1. Beliefs Drive Behaviors. 

In other words, believing you can is what makes you capable. When you believe you can do something, you can imagine yourself doing it, and you see possibilities instead of impossibilities. Then you choose to act out the possibilities. Instead of rushing to judgment, seek to understand why someone believes what they do, rather than trying to change their behavior directly.

2. Change Your Defaults. 

We each have many beliefs about ourselves. They come up as repeated thought patterns we default to for certain situations. They’ve become mainstays, but that doesn’t mean they’re productive or correct. Some of our default beliefs are actually wrong, and when we recognize these indiscrepancies, we can change them. We can, in fact, change any belief that limits us. 

3. Own Everything. 

Own everything in your life, even the things that are not your fault. When you fully accept your situation, you accept the challenges that lie ahead with more confidence. Own everything, and you embody the “I CAN” attitude. 

4. Be Intentional. 

Having intention is the key to harnessing focus. Focus has the power to increase results because what you focus on grows. Try to avoid generalities when setting goals by being as specific as possible and get the results you plan to get. 

5. Have a Growth Mindset.

Put yourself in the teachable place. Seek to be a student in life. You can do anything if you have the knowledge to do it. So, if you feel that you can’t do something, learn how you can. Being capable of achievement follows this process: learn, do, master. 

Leverage 2021 had no shortage of powerful stories and perspectives. Overall, the speakers left us with ample evidence of the power of an “ICAN” attitude. During Leverage, it became clear that many suffer from the lack of belief in themselves but are willing to do what’s necessary to find and harness that belief. Sometimes an individual has to look no further than themselves. Other times, we are so entrenched in our inabilities to achieve what we want that we need a new pair of eyes just to see what we’re capable of. That’s where the philosophy of coaching comes in. 

When we can’t seem to believe in ourselves, we need someone else to see the greatness we possess. Coaches are devoted to helping you uncover your “ICAN” story. On stage, speaker Brad Barton remembered the words from his own coach, “Champions are born and unmade, but we’re going to make you again.” Brad just needed to adopt the same belief in himself that his coach already had, and he went on to make history. 

What’s Next?

If you’re an agent who isn’t quite sure how to create your own “ICAN” story, consider hiring a coach. Workman Success Systems coaches have a vested interest in maximizing your potential. Schedule a free coaching consultation to learn more about how you can have success.