Inspiration * Motivation * Action * Execution

Very few people become financially secure doing something they hate. The average person wakes up to start a work day that lacks passion and interest. The one thing I can say about real estate as it relates to me is that I'm very passionate about it. I have no problem eating, drinking, sleeping, and talking about real estate all day long. I believe success first comes by being inspired by someone or something. Once inspired, you become motivated to act on and execute a plan to become successful.

INSPIRATION - When I was a very young child, my mother and I would spend holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas at my Grandparent's house. My grandfather was a very successful business owner with a big beautiful house and a Rolls Royce in the garage. My mother and I lived in a lower middle class neighborhood, so I was always in awe when I went to visit my grandparents. I would always ask my grandfather questions about making money to the point of probably annoying him, but he always encouraged me to do what it took to be successful. My grandfather was my greatest source of financial inspiration.

MOTIVATION - At the age of 5, inspired by my grandfather, I was motivated to find my own ways to make money. I would do things like sell my old toys to friends and neighborhood kids, and I was known to sell a gallon or 2 of Lemonade from a corner stand. Bottom line, I did whatever it took to put cash in my pocket. I had an extremely strong work ethic from a very young age. My mother wasn't too thrilled about this behavior at first, but slowly warmed up to the idea that her little man was becoming quite the entrepreneur. As I grew older, I continued to find ways to make money having very little interest in working for someone else.

ACTION - Once you've been inspired and have become motivated to become successful, the next step is to put a plan into action. You have to be willing to "pull the trigger" on an idea you feel has potential. As I say in my August Thought of The Month, " Opportunities to make money come and go. The greatest losses of all are those from missed opportunities. The Rich explore those opportunities, while the poor and middle class assume they’ll have a second chance."

EXECUTION - The success or failure of your actions will be determined by how well you execute the details of your plan. Some Real Estate investors have been nothing more than lucky with their investments, but an investor who executes his plans well can make money in an up or down real estate market. This is what separates the weekend investor from the multimillionaire.