Goals are clear. Means? Not so much.

Like many new investors, I've spent a ton of time over my first month and a half since deciding that Real Estate Investing is the vehicle I want to use to build wealth. I've read more books over that time than I had in any year prior. I listen to a BP Podcast on each of my hour-long commutes each day. I've laid out specific goals as to what I want to get out of REI. I attended a local area Meetup put on by some of the big players in the area. And I've even worked through the entire 90 clock hours required for the Washington State Real Estate Brokers Exam, and will be taking (and hopefully passing) the exam within two weeks from now.

However, I have been on BP for 43 days now (which coincides with the timing of when I decided to pursue REI), and I have come nowhere close to making a deal yet. I feel like 43 days is not all that long of a time to not have even really started looking for opportunities. But at the same time, I am starting to feel antsy about possibly being stuck in 'Analysis Paralysis' mode. I feel like I am taking action in the sense that I am trying to gather as much knowledge about how to get where I want to go as I can. But I have been trying to learn something about a lot of things, rather than a lot about the things that likely matter the most. So it is time for me to start paring down the areas that I need to understand the best in order to make my first deal.  

I have been reading the Millionaire Real Estate Investor here and there between studying for the Broker's Exam. That book is obviously jam packed with essentials for this business, but one thing that struck a chord with me was the section on building your Work Network. In other words surrounding yourself with people that have your best interests in mind, and can help you get things done. More specifically, it talks about finding mentors. People that have done/are doing what it is that you want to do. This is going to be something that will be absolutely critical for me. I need to find people that I can confide in that can help show me how to knock down the first domino so that I can catch a wave and ride it to my own personal success. Someone that can show me the first, second, and third things to do in order to make that first deal. Because, honestly, I feel kind of stuck on how to proceed at this point. 

I am not an overly extroverted person, by any means, so striking up a conversation with a successful person doesn't come all that easy to me. But I understand that success is on the other side of fear ... so I am determined to continue attending meetups and talking to as many people as I can until I find a few people for my inner work network circle. Because it's becoming abundantly clear that I'm not going to be able to do this on my own by just reading books and listening to podcasts. 

Next Action Steps:

1.) Get out and Drive for Dollars. In the meetup I attended a week ago, Ryland Taniguchi laid out his strategy for when he drives for dollars and also showed how there are great deals in our currently-blazing market. I am determined to find an opportunity of my own. I'll figure out the financing part of it once I tie up a deal.

2.) Attend another local REIA meeting, talk to more people, and gain more contacts. It's a relationship business. And I don't have enough relationships with people in this business. I don't know what to do next, so I want to find people that are willing to listen to my situation, and then tell me what they would do in my situation.