I get real discouraged....

[Shannon Toye]

Hello to everyone,

So this may sound a bit like a pity party on my part, it may be just a bit in reality but it's not intended. First, I feel getting into this real-estate arena is bigger than me and when I really think about it, I feel so very overwhelmed.  I have no money to start, my credit is marginal and I have no experience and I don't know how to get funding in my situation. My income is low, and I have health issues, yet even with all of this I desperately want to change my situation as only I can.  Please chime in....I need direction and I could use a pep talk. No scolding please, I get that everyday from my situation. This seems daunting to over come. Thanks.  

[Todd Heitner]

Shannon,

I feel your pain.  Being an entrepreneur who's just starting out is tough.  You have days where you feel excited and hopeful and ready to conquer the world, then other days where you feel like you're in a deep pit with no way out.  Being either too high or too low can lead to failure.  Being too high can cause you to be overconfident and make costly mistakes because you weren't being realistic.  Being too low can cause you to just give up or not taking the actions you need to because you lack confidence and motivation.

One thing I've found to be really helpful is starting your day off right.

Don't start your day by opening your email or checking your phone.  I know, you're hoping to see leads or a deal come through, but you're setting yourself up for discouragement.  Most often you're not going to see something you were hoping for, especially when you're starting out.  Not only is it a big let down, but it puts you into reactive mode, where you're looking for other people to dictate how your day will go and what you will do.

Start your day by doing things that are good for you and good for your new business and that will get you into the right frame of mind.

What works well for me is to find a podcast to listen to that is motivational.  I download that to my phone, put in headphones and go for either a walk or a jog for about half an hour.

It's great because getting some exercise is good for both your body and mind.  It releases endorphins, plus doings something you know you should be doing gives you a confidence boost.

But what you're listening to at the same time really can make a difference.  Personally, what got me through some of the hard days was listening to "Entrepreneur on Fire".  It's a podcast where every day of the week a different successful entrepreneur is interviewed.  They tell both their ups and downs, from their worst entrepreneurial moment, to their "aha" moment and what's working for them.  It's a good reminder that every successful entrepreneur has those times where they're discouraged and everything seems to be working against them.  Sometimes you hear of people who faced much worse situations than you're facing but you see how they overcame it and went on to be successful.

Another option would be the Bigger Pockets podcast.  You might find it inspiring to listen to other investors and hear about their struggles and successes and learn from them.  Or you might decide to mix it up and listen to different things different days.

But after going for a walk and listening to an inspiring podcast, come back and make an action plan for the day.  Start off by doing some marketing.  That's what will make the biggest impact on your business but that you're probably most resistant to doing.  Or if you have leads you need to call back, do that.  Do whatever is your most hated item that is the most important for the success of your business.  

Now your day is off to a great start.  The other things you have to do will seem easier and you'll know that you've done your most important things first.  You'll feel in control.  And guess what?  That's because you are.  You've taken charge of your day and your life.

I suggest following this formula every day you are going to work on this business.  Don't sit down to work without doing this first.  It will help you get your thinking straight and set you up for success.

If it's raining outside and you can't go for a walk, do some sort of exercise inside.  This morning I put on my workout clothes and a huge thunderstorm hit before I could get out the door.  So I just put on a podcast and did push-ups and sit-ups.

You might also find it helpful to regularly read articles or blog posts or watch videos that help you keep your motivation level up.  It could be related to real estate investing or not.  It could be just about being an entrepreneur in general because the motivation side of it is the same regardless of what kind of business you're starting.  The specific obstacles vary from one business to another.  

But your obstacles aren't your problem.  You can find ways around every one of the things you mentioned.  Other people have.  Many have overcome much more daunting obstacles.  I'm sure you know that.  The problem is not the obstacles, but rather how committed and motivated you are to overcoming them.  If you lose your motivation and get discouraged, just getting out of bed in the morning sounds like too big of an obstacle.  On the other hand, if you keep your motivation and self-confidence up, no obstacle can stop you.

Stick with it.  Take care of yourself and do things to keep yourself feeling good about what you're doing.  Start your day right.  A big part of success is doing what needs to be done when you don't feel like doing it.  Do what you know you need to do, and I believe you'll be successful!

I hope this helps.

Todd