Who Are You?

Who Are You?

That’s the Million-Dollar question. It’s actually a very basic question, but one not often so easily answered.

Many people search a lifetime to discover who they are, while others find themselves redefining themselves multiple times throughout their lives.

It seems such a simple thing, so why is it so difficult for many to find the answer? We hear time and time again, to just search our hearts and find our passions, then we will discover our life purpose and “find ourselves”. Yet, so many don’t.

The reason this happens, is two-fold; first, when we search our passions and what we really want to do, become, and achieve in life, we tend to let self-doubt creep in and rationalize away what it is we really want. Thoughts like “Oh, I could never do that.”, or “I’m not smart enough.” or some other relevant limiting belief comes up and crushes our hopes of every doing that. Few people take the time to allow themselves to dream big and just let their imagination run wild with the thought and figure out “how” they could do it. When’s the last time you allowed yourself to be like a kid again, where everything was possible, and you could figure out a way to accomplish whatever you wanted?

Now! .... what if you were to allow that to happen?

Second, many people look at discovering who they are - or their life purpose - as being a static thing. I see it as a fluid, ever changing, ever evolving event. Who we were when we were 10 ... 16 ... 23 ... 32 ... 48 ... ? ... is not necessarily who we are now. Things change. We change. (Colonel Harland Sanders didn’t start Kentucky Fried Chicken until the age of 65).

For some, they have a grand purpose that they discover early in life and continue through out all their days. Others, will find multiple purposes in their life, adjusting as they go along.

Where we often miss our true purpose, is that many times it is right in front of us, but we don’t see it. We think that a “life purpose” has to be some huge thing that changes the World, when often ones life purpose may be to touch someone’s life, even ever so briefly. Or it may be to bring a child into this World, who will make a difference. A teacher, nurse, janitor, priest, social worker, police officer, or parent. All have vital roles and many opportunities every day in which they touch lives.

Brief interactions, a simple statement, or a kind gesture that changed the course of someone’s life. It’s happening all around us if we just open our eyes - and our hearts - wider and notice them.

- A child’s life is turned to one of hope, instead of despair, because someone took 10 minutes to listen to them and offer a kind word.

- A man is encouraged to walk the path of righteousness rather than turn to a life of crime, by a kind strangers simple act.

- Someone eats today, because a stranger thought to drop off some food at the local Food Bank.

Simple acts - that we often dismiss - can make a profound difference. What simple act can you perform today that will make a difference in someone else’s life?

Who are you ... Today?

Make It Happen!

Todd

The Secret to Wealth

Want to know the “Secrets” to Wealth?

Listen closely, what I’m about to tell you will change your life.

Are you listening?

Here is the number one secret to becoming wealthy ....

... there is no secret.

Did I have you hooked? Were you on the edge of your seat waiting to hear what the secret was? That what most sales-oriented programs and seminars will have you believe. That they have the secret to wealth, or the secret shortcut to making money in real estate, the “easy” way to wealth.

It’s what most people are looking for ... the “easy” way. Truth is, there is no easy way. It takes a lot of hard work to become successful. But it’s definitely worth it.

I didn’t mean to tease you, but just wanted to show you much we get drawn into the “wanting to believe” that there is some secret to wealth, and if we only knew it, then things would be so easy. Sales people prey on that believe, and will use it against you to sell you some grossly over-priced program or seminar .... only to teach you what everyone else knows.

Keep your eyes open, keep your wits about you, and don’t fall for the seduction of some secret to wealth.

What is real, that you may refer to as a “secret”, are the habits, traits and actions of successful people that were responsible for them getting where they are. There is value in many programs and coaching programs, and that is in teaching you these traits and techniques. Experience is priceless. Learning from someone else’s experience and years of knowledge can be invaluable to your success and definitely shortcut the time it takes you to achieve wealth. Use it wisely.

Just don’t fall for someone telling you they have some “secret” that no one else has.

Happy Investing!

Todd

Expect the Unexpected ...

Being a real estate investor, isn’t without it’s challenges. As I was reminded of last night.

So, it’s 11:30pm, and I get a call from the Police that one of the properties has been broken into, and they need me to come to secure the property and give a statement.

Arrrggghhhh .... there goes the night. So I drive 30 minutes to the property, and find that some people kicked in the french doors and stole the stainless steel refrigerator and stove we had in there. They had also cut the ice maker water line to the refrigerator, and water was all over the floor throughout the house from the water running. What fun.

Well, fortunately, the police had a lead from a neighbor who got the license number of the truck they were using. The police caught them. Well, that was not the end of it. Because now they needed evidence and photos. But the police photographer was busy elsewhere, so we had to wait .... and wait .... and wait some more.

Finally, the police want me to go over to the residence where they think the appliances were to identify them. So I went along, and it was them. Then, they had a truck bring them back over to the property. Well, that was all they did, drop them off - in the driveway. So the officer and myself had to carry them by hand back into the property to secure them. More fun.

Then, we had to wait more for the police photographer to show up, and they had to collect evidence. Finally, about 5am, they showed up. 10 minutes, they were done. I ended up spending the entire evening there and got home about 5:30am. Good thing I don’t work a regular job.

So, did I let this upset me? No! It’s not worth my time. I discovered a long time ago, that it does no good to get upset over unimportant things. The event happened, and getting upset over it isn’t going to change the outcome. So I stayed calm, and focused on the solution. Problem solved.

One thing you can be sure of as a real estate investor, and that is to .... Expect the Unexpected!

Happy Investing!

Todd

It’s 2008! What Will Your Year be Like?

Well here we are, another New Year! It’s 2008, and I’m sure many of you are making your plans and New Year’s Resolutions.

So what kind of year do you have planned?

Did you make the typical resolutions - lose weight, stop smoking, get healthy, make money? The standard vague, open-ended resolutions. Well, let me ask you. Did you just make a statement, or do you have a specific plan behind it?

Did you decide to lose weight, but don’t know how you are going to do it? What exactly will you do to stop smoking? “How” will you get healthy? Make money? Do you have a plan on how you will do that, or just hoping and dreaming?

A wish without a plan behind it, is just a dream. But when you take a dream and put a specific plan behind it, then you have a Goal! So get specific.

What, specifically will you do to achieve your goal?

What steps will you take - daily - to move yourself closer and closer to your goal?

When, will you accomplish this goal?

Who else will be involved, who will help/assist you and support you in achieving it?

Don’t let another resolution go unaccomplished, turn it into a specific goal, and take daily action towards achieving it. When you have a plan, and can monitor your progress, it will help you keep more motivated towards achieving it, and will let you know how you are doing, and when and where you need to make adjustments to keep yourself on track.

Set your goals, and achieve them ... and let nothing stop you!

Here’s wishing you a Happy 2008!

Happy Investing!

Todd