Rubik's -n- Real Estate, real estate investing basics

What does a Rubik's cube and real estate have in common?....  Glad you asked!!

     Well Let me start by saying about 6 years ago I took on the adventure of solving a Rubik's cube (because I love solving puzzles) and now I can solve a 3x3x3 in 40 seconds average, with a fastest time of 34 seconds. As I adventure into the puzzling world of REI, I have come across many similarities between the two. And I would like to share some of them with you. I hope you enjoy.

Nay Sayers

    If I told someone they could solve a Rubik's cube, the reaction I get most of the time is, "There's no way I could do that, that's for people like those super genius's."  Very similar to the response I get when I tell people I'm a real estate investor and that they could do it, too. And another common response is, "If it was that easy everyone would be doing it."  So with made up numbers, just for the sake of making a point, my wife explained it like this.  90% of people think it's(REI) to hard or a gimmick,  out of the remaining 10% maybe 6 or 7% try it thru a guru program that fails and leaves a bad taste in their mouth, (leaving them to talk negatively to those 90%). And the other 3 or 4% do it right, get a mentor, continue their education, persist through hard times, network, and succeed.  Leaving the 90% to never even try, all because of their false impressions.  So if you have "nay sayers" in your life when beginning your REI career, I hope this helps clear things up and gives you a good argument point to work with.

Mentors/ Education

     So one day I decided to buy a Rubik's cube for my super smart oldest daughter for her 9th birthday just to see what she would do with it.  And to my surprise it came with instructions on how to solve it, unlike the ones you would get in 80's.  I could always solve one or two sides of the cube but now I had the opportunity to solve the whole thing. So about 10 minutes later, following step by step instructions, I solved it for the first time ever.  Just like the way mentors and education give you step by step instructions on how to invest in real estate.  Making it feasible and obtainable.  So read as much as you can and go find a mentor.

Niches and Strategies

     So I could finally solve a Rubik's cube over and over, from any mixed up combination.  And the nay sayers were pretty impressed.  And I was fast, about a minute and 20 seconds average.  So I decided to look up the world record, which was about 7 seconds then and about 5 seconds now, (CRAZY, right?!).  So with further searching I found a web site that taught you how to solve faster by, making the cube spin faster, using quicker algorithms, using finger spins instead of full hand movements, and many other helpful hints.  And after implementing a lot of these hints (strategies), I was able to get my time down to around 50 seconds.  Just as great mentors and friends from your network and small groups are able to teach you strategies to help you expand your profit margin, shorten your flip times, lower your risk, and become an overall better investor.

     Now about these niches.  Which I must say, is why most people don't believe in REI.  Because they don't know about the diversity of the forms of investing that are available.  And they see the TV shows and infomercials showcasing flipping, which gives them the idea that's all there is and people fail at that all the time or they can't do it or "if it was that easy, everyone would be doing it" mindset.  So while I was researching and learning on how to become faster, I came across so many new opportunities.  I was solving what we call a 3x3x3 (3 squares in all directions).  I discovered on a couple of web sites, 2x2x2's, 4x4x4's, 5x5x5's, and cubes up to 8x8x8, pyramids, spheres, "void" cubes (no center pieces), stickerless cubes (braille dots to solve), and many other size and shape puzzles. Just saying I had to buy a couple.  I couldn't resist.  And now I can solve a few of them, too.  Not in any kind of super speed, but the fact that there are different kinds and I can solve them, kinda put me on the bottom of the "expert" level to my family and friends.  Now if they are in the toy section and someone is looking at a Rubik's cube, they talk to the person about me.  Can someone say "FREE advertising and potential future investment deals!!!"  I love talking about the different types of investing and how they can ALL be successful.  Now I'm NOT an expert by any means, but my friends and family would never try to explain any of it to someone they meet that's trying to sell their home, but they will tell them about me and maybe even give them my phone number or business card if they have one on them.  There are many different niches and strategies.  Learn what they are and master a couple.  Talk about them as much as people will listen.  They will see you as an expert, and even if it's not your niche, you can pass it on to one of your friends, who's niche it is and they will repay the favor later.

Networking and Mentoring Others

     Now by showing others that I could solve the cube I came across others who could do it, too.  And the networking began.  We would share ideas on moves that we thought were easier, ways to make the cube faster, new products, and I actually got to play with different puzzles that I didn't have because we all had different collections.  Networking made it more fun.  So go find friends who want to, or already, invest.  Join a REI club.  You're not alone and having fun will make it easier and a little less stressful during those hard times.  We would race each other, or girls vs boys, or adults vs teens (it was a youth group that my wife and I worked with).  And the one teen could solve it in like 15 seconds and would try to see how many cubes he could solve before someone else solved one.  We even got to show off our skills on stage in front of hundreds of teens during fun activities sometimes.  Which leads me to "mentoring others".

     A lot of times after seeing us do it, many teens would come up to us and ask us to solve it after "they" mixed it up.  They thought it was a trick, or that we just memorized the moves to unsolve it and solved it in reverse.  Many of them wanted us to show them how to do it so they could show off to their friends.  But after finding out that learning to do it wasn't a five minute lesson and that it took some work and practice, they moved on. (BTW real estate investing is not easy and it takes more then a guru program to learn it.  And it takes years of practice and hard work to be fully successful).  But there were the few that were really interested.  And I got the chance to spend one on one time with them and guide them through the process, and at the same time got to teach them life lessons, which is why we were actually there.  I even went as far as buying cubes for many of them that couldn't afford them.  And I must say that teaching my knowledge to others and seeing the look of joy and accomplishment on their face the first time they solve it on their own is PRICELESS.  Was I the best?  Not even close.  But the knowledge I had was what they needed.  So don't ever pass up the opportunity to teach someone else what you know if they really want to learn.  Even if you don't think you know enough to teach them.  You're the one they came to.  Share away!!!  And I can't say it enough.  Teaching someone else to succeed at something you're good at is more rewarding then any of the money you would earn, keeping it to yourself.  The money will come and go, but the friendships you build and the knowledge you pass on to future generations, will last well after you're gone.  So mentor others with the knowledge you have right from the beginning of your REI career.  And mentor more as you learn more.  It will make all the money you make more enjoyable.