35 Years of Success: Debbi DiMaggio on Mindset & Growth

Debbi DiMaggio (00:00)
When I went to run the L.A. marathon, I didn’t tell anyone because I was turning 60 and I didn’t train for it. I trained mentally because I wanted to prove to myself you could do it. But.

people would have said, ⁓ you decided in February to run a marathon and you’re gonna run it in March. I mean, it sounds crazy even when I say it out loud.

Michelle Kesil (01:37)
Hey everybody, welcome to the Real Estate Pros podcast. I’m your host, Michelle Kesil, and today I’m joined by someone I’m looking forward to chatting with, Debbi DiMaggio, who is a top producing real estate advisor, entrepreneur, speaker, and coach with 35 years of experience. She’s also the author of Mindset in Motion and the Mindset in Motion Method. So really excited to have you here today, Debbi.

Debbi DiMaggio (02:07)
Thank you so much. So, so happy and grateful to be here. Thank you.

Michelle Kesil (02:12)
Of course. So yeah, let’s dive in. First off, for those not yet familiar with you and your work, can you share what your main focus is?

Debbi DiMaggio (02:22)
Sure, so I’ve been practicing real estate for over 35 years with my husband and now our son has joined the team chase Which I am so excited. So that’s great. It’s a family affair for sure and Aside from that I have other goals and things that I’ve achieved over the years. One of them is Writing. I really love to write so I’m just launching my sixth book. This one is called mindset in motion activate purpose power and peak performance and

And I love to spend time with my family and I love to travel. And my goal for the next year after this book launches, hopefully next week, is to do a TED Talk. I would love to embark on that. But I also coach as well and I love to mentor people.

Michelle Kesil (03:11)
Awesome. So exciting that you have written this book. I’m curious what is the mindset in motion method that you are discussing.

Debbi DiMaggio (03:23)
Yeah, sure. Thanks for asking. So this book was a labor of love. It actually wasn’t going to be birthed, I should say. Last March, I was setting out to write ⁓ notes and take a course for a TED talk. thought after having my own podcast, the next thing would be to do a TED talk, I suppose. So as I was taking the course to write the to write in detail and get clarity around the TED talk, I realized, wow, I don’t know what I

talk about and I don’t know what.

specifically talk about that will be for 15 minutes that’s super clear and concise and comes from the heart. And so as I started writing I realized wow I need to write another book because I need to find clarity in what I’m speaking about. And the reason why I shared the beginning story was because clarity is the first step in the mindset and motion method. So the mindset and motion method has five steps. It’s a framework to help people conquer their goals.

whatever it is, personal, business, overcome an addiction, go through the growth or divorce, relocate, move into their next chapter, overcome the empty nest and all that goes along when your children go off to college. It could help in any way, simple, complicated, or small. The first step is to find clarity around your goal. You can have a lot of goals, but start with one when you do this method. Find clarity around your goal. The next step is to believe it.

affirmative. will, I can, I am, I do, do not.

put any negative or words around it and do not speak in that it’s in the future. Just say, just believe that it will

The third step is to internalize it. And this is where for me, it’s about writing and that’s how I gained clarity and that’s how I started writing my sixth book. As I start writing my goals and things I want to do, well, specifically around the one goal, you start writing and you start to internalize and see yourself and feel yourself being part of that goal. And then you can also

vision board or Pinterest or you can you know put ⁓ vision boarding on your laptop you just start to be part of

that goal that you see yourself achieved already. The next step is the fourth step. It’s the belief step. I’m sorry. It’s the share with supportive people step. The fourth step is to share with supportive people. And I say share with supportive people because if you share some goals with people, some people there might be naysayers or people say, you can’t do that or what a nice goal, but that’s kind of outside of your reach. You don’t want any of that. You want to share. You can share some goals.

on Instagram and live and with a lot of people to hold yourself accountable. That’s OK. Some have to some goals have to remain just with you or with just your support of, let’s say, tribe or community.

When I went to run the L.A. marathon, I didn’t tell anyone because I was turning 60 and I didn’t train for it. I trained mentally because I wanted to prove to myself you could do it. But.

people would have said, ⁓ you decided in February to run a marathon and you’re gonna run it in March. I mean, it sounds crazy even when I say it out loud.

And so I only told my husband a week before, because I said, you need to come to LA with me because I’m running the LA Marathon. He clearly knew I hadn’t trained for it, but he knows me, so he didn’t question me. But I didn’t wanna hear, I didn’t want anyone to tell me, ⁓

You don’t train, you don’t exercise, this, that. I didn’t want that. I was only thinking what I could do and what I was going to do. The last step is the activation. So whatever it is you’re trying to achieve, the activation is the most important. This is where the hard work comes in. This is where people stop trying to achieve their goals because it’s the work, it’s the hard work. Whether you’re employing coaches or you’re…

working with mentors or accountability partners or other professional speaking coaches, whatever it is, you have to start putting in the hard work, trying to figure it out, reaching out to people, reach out to people you don’t even know for help. But that’s where you have to do the hard work, and that’s the activation. So it’s number one, goal. Number two, believe. Number three, internalize. Number four, share. Number five, activate. And that is the framework for the Mindset in Motion method.

Michelle Kesil (08:36)
Yeah, amazing. That is such a powerful method. And I’m curious in the book, is this specifically tailored towards real estate or is this something that can be applied to any area of life?

Debbi DiMaggio (08:50)
Yes, they can be applied to every facet in life. It could be for a business goal, a professional goal. It could be for real estate and how to achieve success in real estate for sure. It’s for people overcoming addictions. You can use it if you’re trying to overcome an addiction to alcohol. If you’re going through divorce, you know, I have friends who’ve gone through divorce and it’s really difficult. So if you employ these steps, there are people who can help you along the way in the activation part. But you have to want to get through that divorce and you want to be able to, and you

you need to have the mindset that you want to move on. And then you can employ the steps. So if you have a goal, a business goal, if you’re launching a company or brand, a service, so whatever it is, and a personal goal, a weight loss goal, a nutrition goal, a fitness goal, whatever it is, you can use the mindset in motion method.

Michelle Kesil (09:41)
Yeah, absolutely. And how did you decide to write this book?

Debbi DiMaggio (09:48)
It was, as I mentioned in the beginning, it wasn’t something I set out to do at all. I was actually, as I mentioned, my goal was to do a TED Talk. And

as I was going through the steps that first night, I realized there’s no way I’m ready to do a TED Talk because I don’t even have clarity around what I want to talk about. Do I want to speak about real estate? Do I want to speak about the empty nest? Do I

to speak about X, Y, or Z. And one of the things I was also contemplating was talking about how I can help people achieve their goals. So as I started writing, I realized, wow, I needed to gain clarity, and I needed to be super focused. So over the last year of writing this book, and that’s how I decided to write the book, and over the last year of writing this book, I’ve brought in so many examples of how I achieved my goals. So I came to arrive at the method by reverse engineering how I achieved my goals.

Michelle Kesil (11:20)
Yeah, I love that. And what have been some of the biggest breakthroughs that you’ve had in this process? Yeah.

Debbi DiMaggio (11:30)
in writing the book,

so many. So finding clarity in what I do and whatever I’m doing every day, I actually use the method when I’m coaching people or speaking on podcasts. I’m always using that to answer questions or highlight what someone said. It’s also…

I have very, I’m so crystal clear now on what I want to talk about when I’m ready to do my TED Talk. So right now I’m just, I have so much content in the book. Now it’s about refining. So I have plenty of content and I’m very clear. My guess is, if I was to say it here live with you, my guess is the LA Marathon seems to be pretty impactful with a lot of people, especially people who’ve run,

who run marathons, I’m not a marathon runner. I ran a marathon, yes, but I am not a marathon runner. So when I share that story, of, when I would share the story, wasn’t really, I didn’t even know the person I was talking to was a runner, but when they say, ⁓ I’m a marathon runner, that’s insane, you know, then I see how impactful that is and what, what.

a great feat it was. So I think my TED Talk will probably be around the mindset and motion method and the LA Marathon and how I utilized it to conquer that goal.

Michelle Kesil (12:57)
Yeah, that’s so inspiring.

Debbi DiMaggio (13:00)
Thank you.

Michelle Kesil (13:02)
And is there anything that you’re focusing on now in terms of real estate?

Debbi DiMaggio (13:11)
In terms of real estate, you know, like I say in the book, every day I’m always trying to strive 10 % better. I always strive for 100, but I’m always striving for 110%. So whether that’s meeting more people that I can build relationships with and serve, whether that’s building with clients or other professionals that we can refer business back together. So I’m constantly networking. I’m constantly. And when I say networking, it’s different than how I used to before. It was like, I’m meeting random people.

When I speak now because I’ve been, I joined BNI, Business Networking International, a professional networking group two years ago, I see the value in working with other professionals so we can, what’s called givers gain. And I’ve always been like that. I’ve always referred people and so BNI is all around that. So it’s really easy. I just referred six people today to this one person. So it’s really nice to be able to work with other professionals who have that same mindset.

Michelle Kesil (14:12)
Yeah, amazing. And are you currently continuing to coach others as well?

Debbi DiMaggio (14:20)
I am always happy to coach. just had a cute 17 year old come into my office the other day and it was the cutest thing she had. She must have had, oh gosh, 50 questions and she just banged him out and I just answered him and after that I gave her one of my books called The Art of Real Estate that my husband and I wrote years ago and I said, I think this is a dense book but I think you’re ready for it. The kind of questions she was asking. At 17, I was just so impressed.

Michelle Kesil (14:49)
Yeah, amazing. And does that coaching look like the strategic aspect of real estate as well as the mindset or what does your style look like?

Debbi DiMaggio (15:02)
Sure, can say,

I call myself more of an accountability coach. So whatever it is, yes, I coach on real estate all day long. I’ve been doing it for 35 years and I’ve also refined how I teach people so I can take what I do and put it into words to, I’m so used to doing and moving, mindset and motion, I’m always moving, but I’ve refined.

how I can teach people so it’s easier with these frameworks that I come up with. So yes, always in real estate. But I will tell you, I’ve never met someone I couldn’t help. Anyone who can come to me if they’re trying to achieve a goal, I helped someone who was interested in launching a product. I helped someone publish her book. I helped someone go through a very terrible time when her sister died and her best friend died and she was looking to do some things. And I helped her. ⁓

get find some other things to do to that she wanted to do they were not hobbies there were things she wanted to do so I helped her and part of it was social media and some other brands she wanted to identify and partner with anyway so I can really help anyone I know it’s it’s a broad topic but if someone is interested in conquering a goal ⁓ I can help them

Definitely, but yes, I’m always happy to coach other realtors. And if you were to break it down into who I can help, anyone with a service product or brand or someone with a personal goal.

Michelle Kesil (17:14)
Yeah, and what does that process look like?

Debbi DiMaggio (17:18)
When they meet with me, well now we’ll probably have it in the mindset and motion framework. So we’ll probably go through it that way. But first we meet, so I give a 30 minute consultation and we’ll identify what it is they’re trying to do. And sometimes in that 30 minutes they’re not exactly sure. So we talk and get to know each other in that 30 minutes. And then once they decide to move forward, we’ll.

book a month at a time in the beginning. The first time we can book for a month and if they want to continue then we can you know book for three months out. It depends what their goal is. I don’t want them to have to be beholden to me forever. I want to make them fly so I want to give them the tools. So we have to assess how long it might take.

Michelle Kesil (18:03)
Awesome. And what are you most excited about right now in terms of where your business is going?

Debbi DiMaggio (18:12)
Well, for my business, for real estate, we have five listings now. I want to get them all sold, but more where I am today because I’m doing the final, final read through of my book. And once I say yes, ⁓ we will get it up on Amazon and it will go out. So right now, the only thing I can think about is getting Mindset in Motion launched on Amazon so it could come out on… ⁓

What is the opening day of baseball on March 25th?

Michelle Kesil (18:45)
Amazing, that is so exciting.

Debbi DiMaggio (18:48)
Thank you. I’m very excited.

Michelle Kesil (18:51)
Yeah, are you going to be like sharing this book in any unique way or just people are going to public like purchase on Amazon?

Debbi DiMaggio (19:02)
Yeah, I was just this morning, we’re sending invites to a private ⁓ luncheon in Los Angeles first. That will be in Beverly Hills at the end of April. And then I would like to start, and anyone who’s listening, would like to, I’m gonna have another big launch party as well, but what I’d like to do is hold masterminds, or it could be on Zoom, it could be in person, but I’d like to hold.

I guess for lack of a better word, book clubs or a ⁓ book group where I come and present on mindset and motion and then we talk about I can help everyone in the room with a goal and give them pointers like right there as we’re sitting in that room. So it could be on Zoom in a big ⁓ form, it could be a small form, but I really just want to take this book on the road or on Zoom virtually and try to touch as many people and help as many people as I possibly can with them.

Michelle Kesil (19:58)
Amazing sounds so exciting and love that you’re going to help so many.

Debbi DiMaggio (20:04)
Thank you.

Michelle Kesil (20:06)
Yeah, of course. And so what would you say has been one of the biggest challenges of this creation process?

Debbi DiMaggio (20:17)
Sitting still. Because you really have to sit still to start. mean, my mind is always writing. my mind, everything I think would be on paper, I’d have volumes and volumes of books. But my mind does not stop. But when I have to sit and start and find a quiet place and no interruptions and just focus, it takes me a while to settle into that.

Michelle Kesil (20:19)
Yeah.

Yeah, I can imagine, especially in this day and age, we all struggle a little bit.

Debbi DiMaggio (20:48)
Thank you guys.

Exactly.

Michelle Kesil (20:53)
Awesome, well, thank you for sharing all of that.

And before we begin to wrap up here, if someone wants to reach out, connect, learn more about what you’re up to, where can people find you and connect with you?

Debbi DiMaggio (21:09)
Thank you for asking. People can go to debbidimaggio.com. I spell my name D-E-B-B-I, no E in Debbi. So debbidimaggio.com. And you can also, I give out my phone number, text me 510-414-6777. You can also buy my book. The link will eventually go to mindsetinmotionbook.com.

for you to buy my book and write an endorsement. Text me, ask me a question if you have, or follow me on Instagram @DebbiDiMaggio.

Michelle Kesil (21:45)
Perfect, well I appreciate your time and your story. Thank you for being here.

Debbi DiMaggio (21:50)
Thank you so much. Can I leave you with one quote? Be on the lookout for magic. That’s where opportunities lie.

Michelle Kesil (21:53)
Of course.

Thank you. I love that. And I hope the listeners do too. And if anyone listening got value from this, please be sure to subscribe. We’ve got more conversations with operators like Debbi who are building real businesses and we’ll see you on our next episode.