Stay in the Game

Ron LeGrand proved once again why he is the Master of the Game, in his presentation to the Real Estate Association of Puget Sound (REAPS) last night. He will be back in a full-day training this Saturday, for anyone who missed his presentation yesterday. Go to www.REAPSweb.com for details and registration.

Ron's presentation last night was all about attitude, and "thinking like a multimillionaire." It was full of real gems gleaned from almost thirty years of real estate investing. His own wealth has come from embracing this attitude of success. Here are some of his guidelines, which apply to any investor or entrepreneur:

Over 93% of all businesses fail within their first year. If others are succeeding, but you are not, then figure out what is wrong with you - and fix it! This is why much success depends on personal development, and it will require you to get out of your own way, not matter how uncomfortable.

Entrepreneurial success should focus on revenue, rather than cost control. Successful entrepreneurs understand they must spend money, make an investment, in order to generate revenue. If your business is not generating more revenue than it costs to run, something needs to change.

The primary role of an investor is to MAKE DECISIONS. That's it. Pay others to do the work you need done. Ron is fond of saying "the less I do, the more (money) I make."

Find good people and build a business around them. Take care of the people who take care of you. Do not give away ownership, but do share profits with them. Give them incentive to increase profit for your business.

Set your goals higher than you expect to achieve. You might just surprise yourself.

Put a stake in the heart of the fear monster, and take massive action. Do the thing you fear the most, and the death of fear is certain. The number one fear of most people is that of rejection.

Ignore the naysayers - they are morons!

There is a never-ending list of people telling you that you are doing it the wrong way. Some people find fault as if there were a reward for it.

Make life long learning an integral part of your business, and do your own homework. Follow your dreams, and quit listening to people telling you how to live your life. Whatever you do, don't quit. Celebrate your failures and fail often. Learn from your mistakes and forget the past. Stay in the game. No one ever quit their way to the top.

Ron is a firm believer in multiple streams of income - and so am I. He has failed at some businesses, but sets his sights on a larger vision. He ignores the dream stealers, and achieves his goals. He loves his work.

Ron has developed a homeowner script that he uses to buy houses, and his questions are carefully worded to screen out the prospects from the suspects. I will share the wording of some of these questions in my next blog.

Happy Investing!

Abundance and Prosperity

abundance: plentifulness of the good things of life; prosperity.

prosperity: the state of being prosperous.

synonyms: success, profitability, affluence, wealth, opulence, luxury, the good life, milk and honey, (good) fortune, ease, plenty, comfort, security, well-being

Have you ever heard that you should not mix business with pleasure?

Well, why not? What if your business actually was your pleasure (or one of your pleasures)?

I believe that is possible. And so do the upcoming speakers at the Real Estate Association of Puget Sound (REAPS). Why?

Because we live that vision almost daily.

See, I believe that you probably became a real estate investor or an entrepreneur because you thought it would create something different in the way that you live your life, your lifestyle.

Some of you have found it, while many of you are thinking that real estate investing seems to consume just as much if not more of your time as your job! Even without the "security" of a consistent paycheck.

Believe it or not, there are likely to be habits that you are practicing from your past way of life that are getting in the way of your success at whatever entrepreneurial pursuit you may have now.

Bad habits, like procrastination, distractions, lack of focus, busy work, lack of belief in success, may be self-limiting. You may be spending time with negativity, or with people that do not believe in you.

Good habits like clear goal-setting, focus on income-producing activity, balance in all important aspects of your life, and a success-oriented mindset are what are necessary to succeed. Surround yourself with like-minded people, and refuse to follow the herd.

A purely economic or financial focus may be detrimental or other important aspects of your lifestyle, whether physical health, spiritual or social relationships. I am excited to hear more from the Lifeonaire experts who will be speaking at the REAPS May meeting, as they preach that lifestyle is an important consideration in anyone's personal pursuits. A balanced approach to life may result in an increase in both prosperity, abundance and happiness. And isn't that a worthy goal?

May you lead a happy and abundant life!

Happy Investing!

Never, Never, Never Give Up

Quitters never win, and winners never quit.

I am continually amazed to see potential wasted in so many people. They appear to be on a successful track, and then suddenly stop showing up. They appear to have a focus, a clear direction, and then decide they have other priorities.

Somehow they think that they can "stay in the game" without putting in the work.

Sometimes they quit before they even get started. Sometimes they quit right before the finish line. This always baffles me.

Microsoft recently announced another round of layoffs. An estimated 14% of the Microsoft workforce, some 18,000 jobs, will be eliminated. For those suddenly laid off, the reality is that they are no longer in control of their own destiny. What they choose to do next will determine their future.

Many will not be able to command the high salaries in their next job that they earned at Microsoft. Some will think about starting their own business. Even fewer will actually do it.

Of those that do start a business, the majority will fail. And not because they did not have the resources, the intellect, or the potential to succeed. They fail because they just simply give up.

I run a direct sales company in the travel industry, in addition to my real estate brokerage and investing. This reality is as true in either business or industry. The majority of fellow entrepreneurs in my industry will fail simply because they are afraid to succeed, because they quit rather than persevere.

One of the coaches in my travel business said, "The success of your business is directly related to the number of people you show." How many people did you call today? They may or may not make a buying decision; that you cannot control. But what you can control is making those calls, showing your product, attending trainings to become better, and doing the behaviors that lead to success.

As an entrepreneur, you have to realize that you will have to learn your business, pay your dues and put in the work you need to do to be successful. You may not get paid at all during this phase (W2 employees can hardly imagine what it must be like to not have a paycheck every week). It most definitely involves sacrifice.

Most people are not willing or able to make that sacrifice. But for those who do, the rewards will be substantial.

Here's the rub: you cannot quit. Make a long-term commitment and get good at what you need to do. Block your time and show up.

Just do it! and never, never, never give up....

Happy Investing!