Too many new investors stay fat because they jump into this business with only having one of the three required ingredients.

You'll have to tell them that sadly you left your cape in the shopping cart at Walmart, or can't remember the wording for that particular spell, or that you're fresh out of the ingredient "baby toenails" to make that potion.

I've been in what is essentially phone sales (mortgage financing) for 9 years now, and a critical ingredient for selling your services over the phone is to get the conversation off of price or home value and make it about what motivated the seller to call you.

I think you are forgetting some key ingredients here.

– Robert Orben"The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something.

I'm missing a few of those necessary ingredients

But, before doing so, ensure that you have the ingredients to be successful and it begins with getting REI educated.Yes, don't get bogged down with analysis paralysis as you mentioned.

You'd seen others cook and had a general idea of what it means to mix ingredients, measure proportions, put it in the oven, ect.

Quitting college doesn't count as GritUntil you get at least 2-3 of these ingredients,  don't change course.  

You have the key ingredient to make it...desire.