While making a presentation at an office I got some responses from "know-it-all" agents who've run their own companies in the past, have degrees in marketing and generally feel they know more than anyone in the room.

As I was speaking to people who were signing up for Hobbs/Herder seminars, a few know-everything agents lent us their two cents on marketing. I kept wondering why agents who are broke are the ones who think they know the most about real estate.

If they're so smart, why are they executing marketing that's no better than the average agent, who's also broke? We forget that our tools of success need constant sharpening. Our skills always need refinement."?

So why do we resist so hard? Why do our egos get in the way and lead us to believe that we've got it all figured out? While these agents are insisting they know the secrets of marketing, their competitors are out there making more money and selling more houses.

No matter where they're at, somebody else is doing it better. Even if they're making $1 million, what's stopping them from going to $2 million? If they're selling homes, what prevents them from selling them quicker? Based on what I heard this week, it's clear that our attitudes keep us from moving ahead.

There's no part of your business that can't be improved. It just takes an open mind and the willingness to keep sharpening our saw. And there's a way to do that, but you have to let go of know-it-all defenses.

Your business skills are like a six-digit combination lock. You can have five digits right, but if that sixth one is off, then you can't get into the safe. If only we knew that last digit. . . but so many refuse to go the distance, use all six digits and open the door. Or vault, as the case may be.

If you think of your business as that six-digit combination, maybe you need that last number to unlock your potential. There are seminars, coaching and marketing tools that keep your competitors at the top of their game. What's keeping you from being there? Could it be arrogance?

My experience is this ' keep your tools sharp and amazing things will happen.

Let me know your thoughts on this.