The Six Mindset Changes that will Change your Life

For those who have been following me for the past 2 years, you know I’ve transitioned from being a full-time Speech-Language Pathologist to a full-time real estate investor, business owner, and short term rental (Airbnb) operator. In that 2 year span I’ve grown from zero real estate experience to investing in 5 units, master leasing 2 units, and operating several STRs for investors. I still have many lessons to learn in this life and many more trials to overcome but I’d like to share some actionable steps that have taken me to where I’m currently at and will continually take me to the next level.

Real estate investing and growing a business is not about getting-rich-quick. Both require a ton of reading, mentoring, trial and error, and hard work. Real estate investing and business are very broad categories with many strategies but they start with one major event: a mindset shift.

Here’s a quick general guide to getting started on the mindset shift:

1. DESIRE! There is a difference between wanting and Desire. The difference is in the internal language behind the feeling of “want” vs “Desire.” When you want something, the internal language is usually “that would be cool to have this,” “I’d like to have this,” or “I would be happy if I had this.” When you Desire something the internal language is “I MUST have this so I’m going to absorb as much information about it and exhaust every avenue to attain it.” For example, I really want 6-pack abs but it’s currently not a Desire of mine. If I Desired 6-pack abs I would be taking actionable steps to getting them. A state of want is temporary. A state of Desire is a persistent pit in your stomach and a splinter in your mind. Know the difference and feed the Desire with imperfect action.

2. Invest in yourself! Purchase books and listen to podcasts on real estate or the business concept you’re interested in. Purchase an education program or a consultation session, attend seminars and conferences, and attend local meet ups. The point is to learn from other successful people's mistakes and successes. You’ll save yourself time which is the resource you’ll never get back.

3. Monitor your internal language. Listen to your thoughts. Analyze them. Are they self limiting? Victimizing? Justifying inaction by making excuses? Change it. This is an important step for shifting your mindset from employee-minded to business/investment minded. I highly recommend reading Cashflow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki. This book marks a huge shift in my life. It drastically helped me in my transition from employee way of thinking to business/investor way of thinking. Once you unlock this mindset, it’s very difficult to go back to the old way of thinking. The genie is out of the bottle and the cat is out of the bag.

4. Write your goals. Make them goals with your humanity in mind. It’s not about the money; it’s about getting your TIME back to focus on your impact with your family, community, and your dream. If you write a goal “I want $XXX,XXX in my bank account” or “$X,XXX/month of passive income” ask yourself “why?” Keep asking why until you get to the root reason. The root reason is almost always for love (family, community, impact on the world). Love is the most powerful resource in the world. Love is the energy that inspires and compels us. It fuels our Desire.

5. Take action, learn, adjust, and repeat! Everything doesn’t have to be aligned perfectly to take action. Make some mistakes and learn from them. Take on every opportunity with a win-or-learn attitude. Make the necessary adjustments to refine your craft. There is a balancing range between two extremes: Mindless action and analysis paralysis. Find your range without swaying into the extremes.

6. Be persistent! Don’t let the nay-sayer voice in your head or from anyone else convince you you can’t do it. Surround yourself with people who will empower you to accomplish YOUR goals. You are the average of 5 people you spend the most time with. I know it sounds like some rah-rah but you can accomplish anything you want. This is your life so live on your terms.

Commit to your path and your Desire. Live and die for what you’re passionate about. Martin Luther King Jr says it perfectly: “If you can't fly, then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”

To come full circle, persistence is supported by your level of Desire which is supported by the books you read, the people you surround yourself with, your internal language, your goals, and a win-or-learn attitude. I hope these steps inspire someone who is seeking lasting change. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section.

Live well and always be hungry!