IMHO, getting skin in the game by investing time and money in a property will force you to learn. 

I know that might be a bit of a stretch but I have excellent credit and am willing to put skin in the game.

There are many ways to find motivated sellers - you have to think creatively...there's more than one way to skin a cat!

I've got some skin in the game too, just not enough of my own to kick this real estate journey into another gear.

Account Closed - You would have a difficult time even if it costs $25k and you put $25k into the deal with an ARV of $120k to find a lender, as you have no skin in the game.

Here is a little something that is really starting to get under my skin...

Instead get  a longer listing commitment and then if the seller wants expensive advertising you might offer in allowed in your state ( and with your brokerages approval) to rebate their advertising expenses at closing they pay for with legitimate receipts off the commission.This way if a seller pulls off the market,goes with another brokerage mid listing, or tries to cancel early etc. the seller will be out the money and have skin in the game.

If i'm heading down the wrong path I'm hoping to correct my direction at the beginning rather than finding out a year or more down the road when I have more skin in the game. 

@Andrew Michael  I agree with you Andrew, if I was a hard money lender I would be looking for skin in the game.  

They want to know that you have skin in the game and are committed to paying back.