To those who have not read my story, read them below:Part 1 - https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/55/topics/690349-from-bankruptcy-to-1-000-units-part-1-thru-the-dark-tunnelPart 2 - https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/55/topics/692382-from-bankruptcy-to-1-000-units-part-2-rising-from-the-ruinsPart 3 - https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/695243-from-bankruptcy-to-1-000-units-part-3-how-to-build-an-empire

Find a mentor (someone that is where you want to be) and shadow that person and soak up everything you can so you to can learn from their successes and failures alike.  

I have a long term strategy as well as short term strategies to adjust to market adjustments.Man I remember in 2012 (one of the best buying opportunities) There were tons of people claiming we were heading for the 2012 fiscal cliff, there was so much uncertainty with the Obama/Romney election, property values had just went up 20-30% off their lows so we were 'bound for a crash', there was a lot of talk of a double dip recession, the "shadow inventory" was bound to cause a "double dip recession"  etc etc...What happened to those 2012 prophets?

Best you can do now is stay humble and get a local investor that will allow you to shadow and start to help out and you need to get working for them in SOME capacity.

BP allows someone like me, due to my shyness/ introvert spirit, to come out of the shadows, socialize online first rather than in person, and know that this business can change your life and all those around you.

Entertainment is a plus too especially in dark times. 

This is the dark side of the state, increasingly polarized levels of quality of living and cost of living between the top 5% and everyone else.

As others have said, a job is very helpful in Real Estate investing because it provides you the capital needed to get started.I highly recommend shadowing or working for a full-time wholesaler in your area.

It’s worth a shot in the dark

If your tenant went dark, you'd still have so much value in the property that you'd profit.