One of the most important muscles I help agents build is the one that keeps their business alive: the ability to actively manage current deals while continuing to generate new ones.

It’s a skill that doesn’t come naturally to most people. I think of it like cross-lateral movement in Pilates. You’re coordinating both sides of the body, engaging your core, trying not to fall over. That’s what it feels like to be deep in board package prep while still finding time to follow up with a referral, write a social post, or call the neighbor from last week’s open house.

This isn’t about multitasking. It’s about building strength and control. Training yourself to stay focused in two directions without losing your balance.

The Genius of the Both-And

In The Opposable Mind, Roger Martin writes about successful leaders being able to hold two conflicting ideas in tension without shutting down. They resist the urge to choose one over the other. They practice integration. They stay in motion.

That’s what this is. You don’t stop building your business just because you’re busy. And you don’t stop serving your clients just because you’re planting seeds. You have to do both. Intentionally. Consistently. Like a muscle you keep working even when it’s uncomfortable.

Training the Muscle

Here are three ways to strengthen your both-and capacity:

1. Use mental containers.
Daniel Kahneman’s work on attention shows that the brain performs best when it isn’t stretched too thin. Instead of toggling, create structure. Block 90 minutes for deal work. Then block 30 for pure outreach. Change posture, change playlists, change energy. Switch gears fully, not halfway.

2. Create a ‘Low Friction’ Prospecting Habit.
James Clear, in Atomic Habits, says the key to consistency is making things easier to start. Prospecting doesn’t need to be a production. Text 3 people. Send 1 check-in email. Leave a thoughtful voicemail. Small movements, repeated over time, build real endurance.

3. Build a Weekly ‘Reset Ritual.’
Muscles don’t grow without recovery and recalibration. Each week, take 10 quiet minutes to name the 3 deals you’re advancing and the 3 leads you’re cultivating. Keep them visible. This simple anchor keeps your attention distributed and your energy intentional.

Final Thought

This work is physical. It takes coordination, balance, and stamina. The agents who grow are the ones who stay in motion. They hold tension without dropping the ball. They don’t chase momentum. They create it through repetition.

So if it feels awkward right now, that’s okay. That’s how muscle is built.

Need help strengthening this muscle?
Schedule a discovery call and let’s build a system that keeps you in motion.

May your presence do the talking.
– Molly B.