So I took action, just like the blogs and forums say. 

One dude I know trades antique firearms online for a living while (currently) renting out in the middle of rural nowhere.

I am an adrenaline junky who cant stay away from action sports.

This is exactly what I was looking for when I posted last night - specific, actionable steps that I can take to make this happen.

Hello everyone,  My name is Robert Williams,  I am a beginner Real Estate Investor looking to learn the process and tricks to the trade.  

Two big takeaways for me after reading your post:1) While having a plan is an important, the greater skill you have in abundance is the ability to think strategically and long term about your future and how one action builds on the other towards a larger goal.

IMHO, a more effective and longer term approach is to work with local trades and businesses to hire and train local youth to rehabilitate distressed properties and reintroduce them back to the community at affordable prices.

Since you are interested in fix and flips, I propose the following action plan.

Just jump in and do anything, take action.

What actions are you taking?