Get busy living, or get busy dying

Author

Jason Farris
January 15, 2026

The Andy Dufresne Lesson Every Real Estate Agent Needs Right Now

I was done for the day.
Laptop closed.
Phone down. 🌙

Just flipping through channels late at night when it stopped on The Shawshank Redemption. One of my all-time favorites. I’ve seen it more times than I can count. I’m pretty sure I know every line.

But watching it that night felt different.

Earlier that day, I’d been wrestling with whether I should open up a few coaching spots. Over the past few weeks, more agents than usual have reached out asking me to work with them.

For context, I spent eight years coaching top teams and top performers with Tom Ferry. I stepped away from formal coaching to focus on my own production and team, but I never stopped sharpening the blade. I’ve worked closely with Ben Newman and others, refining how I think about performance, discipline, and execution, and I’ve quietly coached business owners across multiple industries along the way. 💼

I’m careful about who I take on and how many I take at once.
Some people I’ve coached for years.
Others I turn away.

So that night, watching Shawshank through that lens, a few lessons hit differently. I figured I’d share them with you.

And if you read to the bottom, you’ll see a small, intentional offer that might be worth considering. No gimmicks. No pressure. And no, it won’t break the bank. I keep my coaching accessible because I’m not greedy. I just care about doing good work with the right people. 🎯

Most agents want a breakthrough.
Andy Dufresne planned one. 🧠

In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy doesn’t escape prison with strength, speed, or shortcuts. He escapes with clarity, patience, and a long-term plan executed quietly while everyone else complained about the system. ⏳🔨

That is the exact lesson most agents are missing.

Lesson #1: Tiny Tools Beat Big Talk

Andy’s primary tool was a rock hammer. Laughably small. No one took it seriously.

That’s how real success works in real estate.

Not flashy systems.
Not chasing every new platform.
Not waiting for the perfect market.

Small, boring tools used daily:

☀️ One follow-up system done every morning
📩 One weekly market email that actually goes out
🎯 One listing conversation practiced until it’s automatic

The agents who win don’t have better tools.
They use simple tools longer than everyone else. 🧠⏱️

Lesson #2: The Poster Is Your Public Image

Andy hid his progress behind a poster. Everyone saw the poster. No one saw the tunnel.

Most agents do the opposite.

They post motivation.
They talk about goals.
They broadcast “big moves.”

But there’s no tunnel. Your poster should be consistent.

Your tunnel should be private, disciplined work:

⛏️ Daily prospecting
📊 Weekly database touches
🔁 Relentless follow-up
🧠 Skill work when no one is watching

Progress doesn’t need applause.
It needs protection. 🛡️

Lesson #3: Escape Plans Take Time

Andy chipped away for nearly 20 years. ⏳
Let that sit.

Meanwhile, agents quit after:
• 3 weeks of cold calling ☎️
• 2 months of content 📱
• 1 slow quarter 📉

Real estate rewards stubborn consistency, not intensity bursts. 🧠
The market doesn’t owe you momentum.
Your systems earn it. 🎯

Lesson #4: The Sewer Is Part of the Deal

Andy crawled 500 yards through filth to get free.
There is no version of success without this part.

For agents, the sewer looks like:

🚫 Rejection
😬 Awkward conversations
🔁 Follow-ups that don’t convert
🏠 Open houses with no buyers
❌ Listing appointments you don’t win

You don’t avoid this.
You go through it.

Freedom is on the other side of uncomfortable work. 🔓

Lesson #5: He Didn’t Just Escape. He Won.

Andy didn’t run away broke.
He planned his exit.
He had the paperwork.
He had the money.
He exposed corruption on the way out.

Translation for agents:

🧱 Build leverage
📇 Control your database
🏷️ Own your brand
📊 Track your numbers
🚫 Stop renting your business from platforms that don’t care about you

Don’t just survive the market.
Position yourself to win when conditions change. 🎯

Everyone else in Shawshank counted days.
Andy counted actions.

If your business feels stuck, ask yourself this:
Am I reacting to the market or Am I quietly building my tunnel?

Freedom favors the patient. Results follow the prepared.

And the agents who win rarely announce it while they’re building it.
They just show up one day… free. 🔓

The Andy Dufresne 90-Day Execution Sprint
Private Coaching | Limited to 3 Agents

Most agents don’t fail from lack of effort. They fail from unfocused effort. This is a 90-day, high-intensity coaching sprint designed to create momentum.🚀

Not mindset fluff. Execution.

The Outcome (Non-Negotiable)

By the end of 90 days, you will:

  • Have a repeatable weekly execution plan

  • Be confident in your listing conversations

  • Know exactly what to do each day to generate business

  • Have momentum instead of anxiety

  • Stop restarting every month

If you follow the plan, you will not feel stuck.

The Structure

  • Weekly 1:1 coaching call (execution-focused, no rambling)

  • Clear weekly assignments

  • Daily standards you are expected to hit

  • Real-time correction when you drift

  • Zero tolerance for “busy but not productive”

This is not a course.
You don’t disappear for two weeks and come back with excuses.

What We Build in 90 Days

Month 1: Foundation & Focus
Strip your business down to what actually produces income
Kill distractions and low-ROI activities
Build your weekly non-negotiables
Clean up your follow-up and database approach

Month 2: Listings & Leverage
Tighten your listing conversations
Position you as the obvious choice, not a commodity
Improve confidence and delivery without scripts that feel fake
Build consistency in outbound activity

Month 3: Momentum & Control
Lock in habits so you don’t relapse
Create a simple scoreboard you can run without me
Stress-test your systems
Make sure momentum continues after the sprint ends

This is for licensed, active agents who want clarity, not motivation, are willing to be coached directly, and are tired of spinning. NOT FOR brand-new agents, agents who want soft accountability, or anyone chasing hacks, tricks, or shortcuts.

If this feels uncomfortable, that’s normal.
Momentum lives on the other side of clarity.

👉 Reply “TUNNEL” to this email.
If it’s a fit, I’ll walk you through the next step.

Three people.
Ninety days.
No excuses.