Where are you going to be twenty years from now?

[Account Closed]

Twenty years ago, I wrote out my “lifetime” goals.

They, at the time, seemed almost insurmountable to me.  I was listening to Personal Power II at the time (from Tony Robbins) (HIGHLY recommend his stuff, by the way).

On Session 10 (if I remember right), Tony guides the listener through a goal-setting workshop.This is after 9 days of prep work, leading up to this session.

For some context, I was fresh out of the military, working temporary jobs (like selling cars, working at the post office, etc.) making no more than $7 per hour.I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, much less what I would be doing in 20 years.

Having said that, I knew a couple of things to be certain.First, my destiny was up to me.If it was to be, it was up to me.My destiny, and whether I reached the outcomes I was about to put on paper, were 100% completely, and unequivocally, up to me and choices I made.They also were up to whether or not I followed through on those decisions and persisted in the face of hardship.  I feel the same way about everyone I meet and talk to.

I can tell you, with the exception of the sports cars I dreamed of having (I grew out of that BS), I’ve accomplished 100% of the things on that list.I didn’t realize I had done it until last year (20 years later), but I had completed everything on that list within 11 years.

So, not to get overly personal, but I think if I provide some context, it may help.I put on the list things like:

Make $100,000 per year income.

Own and run my own successful business.

Own my own nice and expensive home, at least 4 BRs on an acre of land.

Have a new car every four years.

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Notice the lack of clarity.I’m about to sit down and write out my next set of “lifetime” (20-year) goals.This time, I will be a little more clear about what I want.  Also, none of these things actually seemed obtainable to me at the time.  My life was SO different then than where it is today.

I want to describe to you my life as it stands now (indeed; where it has stood for the last 9 years).

I make right at six figures in income.My wife and I together make more than that, but, by myself, I am almost at six figures.

I own and run my own successful business.I have run three successful businesses over the years (and four that weren’t so successful, but led to the learning necessary to succeed in the others).

I own a very nice and (relatively, from my perspective then) expensive 4 BR home, on 2.34 acres of land.

I get a brand new, “free” company car approximately every three years.

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Now, there were many other “dream” type of things on that list.I’ve gotten all of those as well.

For example, one of my dreams (that I TRULY never thought I would do at the time) was driving on the autobahn in Germany.I got to do that, 10 years ago, purely by “coincidence” and “chance”.

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Now I come to the goal-setting for the next 20 years of my life.I come to this moment with extreme anticipation and excitement.For, I know, I can put whatever I wish on this paper.

Once I put what I wish on the paper, things are set in motion.My thoughts are drawn towards those outcomes (think law of attraction.  Hokey, right?).  Because my thoughts are drawn towards those outcomes, I complete actions that would culminate in the completion of those outcomes.Then, one day, I look up from all the action I’m taking (which is the real key) and realize I’m living the life of my dreams, documented by me a decade or two before.

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I invite you to do the same.  Whether you are a newbie to this game, or a tremendously successful real estate investor, makes no difference.This process is important, and I would dare say vital to your life.

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So, if you’ve read this far, and are willing to do it, take out a piece of paper (or get your word processor ready).  Don't worry.  This is only for your eyes.  You have nothing to fear.

Now, sit and think for a minute.Figure out how far you’ve come.  The last twenty years have come and gone, like clockwork (HA!).  The next twenty years will come and go, like clockwork.

You can count on it.

If you could design, and literally map out, and choose where you want to be, where will you choose to be at the end of twenty years?  Twenty years is a looooooooooooong time.

Believe me and trust when I say, if you can dream it, twenty years is a long enough time to do it.

Do you want to own 1,000 units?Do you want to own 100?Do you want to own 10?

What do you want?

Do you want to flip?Do you want to buy tax liens?Do you want to learn how short sales work?

What do you want?

Most people NEVER determine what they want from life.Do you know what most people give as an answer when asked what they want?They will list off the things they don’t want.

So, what do you want?

Put whatever you want, or think you want, or potentially want, or have dreamed about, on that paper.

List everything you can think of.List the physical things you want (jet, anyone?Certain type of car, with a driver?  Your own successful real estate conglomerate?  A maid?  Someone to do your laundry?).

List your environment.Do you have a personal assistant?Do you have many?How many companies do you have?Are they successful?How much money do you make every year?Where do you travel?Who are your friends?How influential are you in the community?

List all of these things.Keep writing until you run out of ideas.It may take a long time.That’s ok.This is your life.

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Don’t move onto the next part of this until you’re finished with that last part.You should have a very exciting future laid out.

Now comes the super fun part.  This next part is where the rubber meets the road.  Start with #1 on your list.  Let’s say #1 is to acquire 120 rental doors in 20 years, with a further stipulation that each door cash-flows at least $200/month.Ok.Work backwards.Divide the outcome by the amount of time that you have.

If I want 120 units in 20 years, we have 120/20 = 6 units per year.

There are 12 months in a year.We divide the 12 months by 6 units and come up with a sub-goal to acquire a unit every 2 months.

Easy peasy, so far.Then, we write down a list of all of the things we can think of to get our FIRST unit.This is up to the individual and their situation, but now you have a starting point.

I want you to think about something else too.You may acquire only 1 unit the first year.Objectively, and technically, that means you’re “failing” at your goal.But remember, there’s a momentum involved.You may acquire 3 more in the second year.Again, failing.

But then, all of the sudden, your mindset shifts a little.As happens with a lot of things in life, all of the sudden, you go hog wild and start acquiring property like a madman or woman.You get 1 unit a month in year 3.Then, you’re at 13 units.5 behind where you "need" to be.But, you realize and understand the game now.You know in year 4 you’re going after bigger fish.You acquire a 21 unit apartment complex and 3 quad-plexes in year 4.Now, all of the sudden, you’re WAY ahead of the game.

Let’s take the flip side.Your goal is to acquire 6 units a year and you’re only able to acquire 1 per year for 20 years.

What happens?You’re a millionaire ANYWAY.Make sure you buy right, of course.

Remember, shoot for the moon.Even if you miss it, you’ll land among the stars.Hokey, of course, but so true.

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Perform the process that I outlined above for EVERY goal you came up with.All the sudden, quicker than you anticipate, you’ll be living your dream again.

Alternatively, you can choose to just live life as it comes, one day at a time, never planning for the future.  After all, that's easier.  Whatever. 

It's your choice.  Always.

Keep rockin’.