Learning how to make more money in real estate takes time and commitment, but recent research shows there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to increase your earnings: be happy. If it sounds too simple, it’s not. We surveyed brokers across North Carolina to uncover how they earn money in real estate and which real estate brokers earn more. We found that happy brokers earn nearly twice as much money as brokers who aren’t satisfied with their jobs.
Why do happy brokers make more money?
How is it possible that North Carolina real estate brokers with a high level of career satisfaction make more—and considerably more—than brokers who are unsatisfied with their careers?
For answers, we looked at a University of Warwick study suggesting that happy workers are 12% more productive. The study tested over 700 subjects with four different experiments. In one, some participants were given free chocolate and fruit while being shown a comedic movie clip. Other participants were asked about recent family hardships. Then, they assessed each group’s productivity, with the happier group coming out noticeably on top.
Dr. Daniel Sgroi, one of the researchers who conducted the study, told the university, “The driving force seems to be that happier workers use the time they have more effectively, increasing the pace at which they can work without sacrificing quality.”
Happiness is the ultimate productivity booster
Alexander Kjerulf, the founder and Chief Happiness Officer at Denmark-based Woohoo Inc, has built a career advising companies on how to make the workplace happier. Some of his clients include Ikea, Microsoft, Volvo and Shell.
He considers himself a leading expert in happiness at work and has ten reasons why he thinks happiness leads to more productivity. Here are a few of Kjerulf’s observations about the way happy people work:
- Happy people work better with others.
- They’re more creative.
- They fix problems.
- They’re optimistic.
- They worry less about making mistakes.
Kjerulf is so passionate about how happiness impacts the workplace that he’s written a book devoted to the subject. Pro tip: you can read three free chapters of it here.
For some, being happy comes naturally. For others, it can be a challenge. If you want to be more productive, creative and ultimately make more money as a real estate broker, it’s essential to learn how to be happy. The bonus? You’ll probably enjoy all the other aspects of your life a lot more, too.
