The secret formula to investing success

[Joey English]

The secret formula to investing success

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” -Thomas Edison

I’ve been blessed to know and have relationships with some truly great investors. One family in particular adopted Ashley and me as their real estate kids. You always hear great things about these people, and they’re very well known in the real estate investing world. There names are Bill and Kim Cook.

Toward the end of Ashley’s pregnancy with our oldest, Bill and Kim invited us to come live with them at their ranch. We took them up on the offer and it shaved off the two hour commute I was making to rehab a property we were moving into in Adairsville.

I have to say, I cherished that time. Living with the Cook’s not only solidified a family relationship between my family and theirs, but it also gave me some amazing insight into how successful people work.

One of the things I learned during our stay was the secret formula to success. Would you like for me to share it with you? OK, here goes.

Get up and go to work!

Bill and Kim got up at 4:30 every morning and went to work in the office. They were either doing a property write-up, working on an offer, reading a manual from a seminar they had just attended or handling some other form of paperwork before the rest of the world woke up.

They literally put in three or four hours before most people arrived at their jobs. Next they’d head out the door to run a few miles or hit the gym – more work. Afterward, they’d come home, take a shower, and head off to the rest of the day to meet with sellers.

I marveled at how much these two people could churn out in a day’s time. They were focused, strategic, and determined. This work ethic coupled with their inherent generosity and awesome personalities are what have made them so successful.

I’ll never forget the lesson Bill taught me at my best friends wedding. It was a beautiful September day: warm, but with a breeze from the lake kept us cool. After Matt and Candice said “I do”, the procession left the lake for the reception hall. As best man, my job was to get the wedding props torn down, get all the chairs on the trailer and get over to reception before it was time to give the toasts.

It was me and 100 chairs. No one thought to help. That is, no one other than the most successful guy there. Bill walked over and just starts helping. He was never asked. He didn’t have to be. He saw what needed to be done and he did it. That’s because successful people do what unsuccessful people aren’t willing to do.

It was one of those “Stop, take it all in and let this lesson sink into your soul” type moments. And Bill taught it to me by putting up chairs. What a teacher!

Are you doing what needs to be done in your investing life?

Whether it’s going to a seminar on the weekend, setting the alarm an hour early, or meeting with a seller in the evenings, what are you willing to do to make success a reality?

Bill and Kim will never know the impact they’ve had on our lives. Without them, I’d still be going door to door pressure washing houses. They showed us how to do what needs to be done – to work hard, not for a dollar, but for financial freedom.

Grateful doesn’t seem to adequately describe the feeling.

For all that you are, for your teacher’s hearts and how you inspire others, we love you Bill and Kim!