Newbie from Corpus Christi, Tx

[Rigoberto Medina]

  Hello everyone, my name is Rigoberto Medina and I live in Corpus Christi, Texas (everyone just calls me Tony, it's a lot easier). I currently work in oil and gas as an authorized inspector and this is my first post on the bigger pockets forum, though I have been a Pro member since June of 2018. This post is going to be a little long, so moderators, please feel free to notify me if too long or to take it down if you so chose, but I feel that I have to share what finally got me to post on the forums. This weekend, starting on the 9th of August and going to the 11th I had to drive from Corpus Christi, Texas to Clayton, N.C. and back. This task gave me roughly 42 hours behind the wheel, by myself. I decided that I would use this time constructively and so I loaded an audiobook onto my cell phone that I have been wanting to listen to for some time. This audiobook was "Rich Dad/Poor Dad" by Robert Kyosaki and I have to say that it was truly eye-opening and perspective-altering.

  I am sure that many of you have read the book or listened to the audiobook so I won't detail everything in the book but instead, I will share what resonated the most with me and got me to take the step of posting on this forum, what will be one of many more to come. The very first thing that hit me, like a ton of bricks I might add, is that my decisions have been based mostly on fear. While that might seem like a simple thing to admit, allow me to explain. I am 6'2" 285lb life long martial artist and powerlifter, and a man who is proud (too proud I am seeing). As Mr. Kyosaki started to break down how we often make financial decisions, not to win but rather so that we don't lose, I could see myself in every example. I could see the fear of uncertainty steering me to stay in a "good job, with great benefits", to "play it safe", and while I always told myself "I'm doing it out of love for my family and their security", in truth, I did it mostly out of fear.

  The next thing that hit home was when the difference between assets and liabilities was explained. I started looking at all that I owned in my head and realized that I had surrounded myself with liabilities, doodads, and tons of other things but no assets. I live in a big house, have 3 vehicles, all the newest cell phones, tablets, etc., and they are eating me alive and stealing my opportunities, and I did it to myself and my family. It was a real wake up call and call to action. I decided right then and there, on that drive, that I had to change. I cannot live my life in fear and make financial decisions for my family based on fear and so I developed a plan. The immediate steps of my plan are as follows:

1.) introduce myself and post on bigger pockets (real estate is going to be my vehicle to financial independence and wealth for my family.)

2.) Get my financial life in order (I am setting aside 20% of all incoming pay to pay off debt, making sure I pay myself first even though that scares the daylights out of me, but it will force me to make my mind work to figure out how to pay all my bills after)

3.) educate myself on real estate. (I have purchased "How to invest in real estate" off the bigger pockets store. I will read this book and post a summary on the forums, if I am allowed to do that, by this Friday, the 16th)

4.) I am somewhat of a shy person, I have to break that shell. (I will attend my local real estate investor club meeting this Saturday, the 17th, and network with local investors)

5.) Develop a budget as well as daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly goals and plan out how to get there (budget will be developed by tomorrow, the 14th, goals list also by EOD on the 14th.)

Step 1 is done with this post, though it terrifies me to post on a national forum (even as I type this out my mind is screaming at me that people will make fun or think that I am weird or a flake), it is my first step and I am now invested and dedicated. If anybody would like to follow this and help keep me accountable, as I finish my goals detailed above, I will post updates, also when I develop new goals, milestones, etc.