🎸 The Guitar Story: A Wake-Up Call for Mortgage Pros

I taught myself how to play guitar during middle and high school — no formal training, no music theory. Just me, a beat-up acoustic, and YouTube videos at 2 a.m. 🌙📺

Over time, I got pretty good. I could play covers that impressed my friends, improvise a little, and keep up at jam sessions. I thought I had it all figured out.

Then I got to college and decided to study guitar seriously. 🎶

During my first week, I met with my music professor for what I assumed would be a quick pat on the back and a “keep doing what you’re doing.” Instead, I got a list — a long one.

❌ My hand positioning was off.
❌ My strumming was inefficient.
❌ My fingerpicking lacked structure.
❌ My theory knowledge was basically nonexistent.

What I thought was skill… was really just survival. I’d built a house without a foundation. 🏚️

If I wanted to truly grow as a guitarist — to perform at a professional level — I had to tear down what I thought I knew and relearn from the ground up.
It was uncomfortable. Frustrating. Humbling. 😤🙇‍♂️

But it was also the breakthrough I didn’t know I needed.

💼 MLOs, This Is Your Guitar Story

Let’s bring this back to the mortgage industry.

A lot of Mortgage Loan Officers start their careers the same way I started guitar — self-taught, scrappy, watching others, picking up what works through trial and error. And to be fair — that hustle does get you off the ground.

But at a certain point, you hit a wall. 🚧
The same habits that once got you results now keep you stuck.

You’re:

⏰ Grinding long hours without scaling
📞 Chasing leads with no structure
😅 Relying more on charm than a predictable system

And the kicker? You know something needs to change. But when the solution requires an investment — in coaching, tech, systems, or better marketing — fear kicks in.

You hesitate. You tell yourself you’ll do it “once you close a few more deals.” But deep down, you know: You’re playing with bad form.

🔁 If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes

Imagine if I’d never sat down with that professor.
I’d still be playing the same songs, with the same limitations, thinking I was better than I was. And I’d never reach my true potential as a musician.

That’s what many MLOs are doing right now. They’re holding back their own growth because they’re afraid to invest a small amount of money into their business.

But let’s be real:

📉 If you’re not willing to upgrade your process…
📉 If you’re scared to spend money to learn from someone who’s already where you want to be…
📉 If you keep saying “I’ll figure it out later”...

Then don’t expect anything to change long term. You’re gambling your future success on hope — and that’s not a strategy.

🎯 The Real Flex? Mastery.

There’s a difference between someone who can play a few songs and someone who can perform at a world-class level. The same is true for MLOs.

Top producers don’t just work harder — they work smarter.
They build:

✅ Repeatable, scalable systems
✅ CRMs and automations that save time
✅ Strong referral pipelines
✅ Bulletproof compliance practices
✅ Messaging that builds trust, not just transactions

And most importantly? They invest in themselves.

🔑 The Takeaway:

Don’t mistake momentum for mastery.
And don’t wait until burnout or a dry pipeline forces your hand.

If you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself honestly:

Am I still playing with bad form?

Maybe it’s time to stop winging it and start winning with structure, mentorship, and smarter tools. The uncomfortable truth? You might have to go backwards a little before you can move forward.

But once you do, the ceiling gets a lot higher. 🎤🚀