Working Towards Something, Not running away

When I was in sales I took a training class called SOAR Selling. The class was about making cold calls (if anyone tries to tell you that they love making cold calls they are either lying or have not followed the lead based paint disclosures before buying real estate), but prior to discussing how to make these calls we went through a mindset training day. I've never been one to buy into a lot of what people tell me during touchy feely motivational talks with few actionable items, but one thing resonated with me from this. In life there are really only two scenarios that push someone to achieve great things and break out of the day to day grind that they find themselves in.

The first is a push factor. Something that is pushing you ahead. You feel this push when you have no other option and your back is against the wall. If you don’t make money you don’t eat. If you don’t get that next deal you will be on the street. If you don’t find a way to get paid quick you are probably going to have to sell everything you have and hike the Appalachian Trail (in a way that’s actually a secret desire of mine so maybe being out of money isn't a bad thing?). Marshawn Lynch put the concept of a push factor perfectly in his recent 60 minutes interview:

“ Wertheim: Everybody I’ve spoken to about you has referenced your financial savvy. What’s the source of that?

Lynch: You ate cereal before?

I’ve eaten cereal.

Alright. Have you ever had a roach in your cereal before?

No.

You haven’t, right?

I have not.

If you came from eatin’ cereal with roaches in it before, Dawg ... Feel what I’m sayin’? You wouldn’t want to do that again, right? Once you’ve seen the lowest of the low, you don’t want to go back."

The second factor motivating people to achieve more is what the SOAR trainer called your magnet factor. Your magnet is something that is pulling you ahead. This is much more powerful because it is something you can visualize, set goals for, and work towards, not simply something you are running from. The problem with running from something is that when you outrun your push factor you have no reason to keep running. You become complacent, you get bored, and well you just kind of lose touch with who you really are (or you never really discover it in the first place).

A magnet helps you find your purpose. It helps you stop running FROM something and helps you run TO something. Your magnet could be anything, but it is clearly achievable. I recommend following the Miracle Morning strategy discussed on BP Podcast 157 to help stick to your magnet once you find it (https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2016/01/14/bp-podcast-157-simple-morning-ritual-help-dominate-every-area-life-with-hal-elrod/). My magnet is a bit more abstract, but I developed it around a “T-Chart” below. On one side I have the emotional reasons why I want to succeed in real estate and on the other I have the logical reasons why. You can view mine below as an example, but I would suggest working on your why, developing it into your magnet, and never stop pushing ahead.