The Sky’s The Limit
May 17, 2009 Investment Strategy
No matter what I do, it seems that all that I eat, sleep, do, and think is about real estate. In other words, regardless of what I’m doing, somehow it is converted into real estate terms and analogies. It’s weird, I know; I can’t do anything without that incessant, and sometimes aggravating, diversion. It’s not always bad, though. I have a business mentality, and often it is, indeed, mind stimulating, invigorating, and healthy for my real estate mindset to think in such ways. Years ago, I took my little six-year-old to the community pool for something for her to do. For the previous three weeks before that, she’d been taking swimming lessons for 45 minutes per morning, and has elevated to an advanced swimming class of Level-3. I saw her dive off the low diving board many times into deep water. Near the end of her lesson, I cringed as she dove off the high dive. She appeared to do quite well. I worry just the same, though. She’s only six, and she’s so small. As we entered the pool area, I headed for the shaded umbrella table area for a business meeting with a friend. My daughter dropped her swim bag, removed her shoes, and donned her goggles. As she prepared herself, I thought of how all the previous times we had gone to the pool I had her remain in the shallower, three-foot section. There she would be safe and easy to watch. I contemplated whether to say anything to her or not; she has, after all, been off the high dive. At that moment I decided not to say anything and to let her run loose. She immediately darted toward the mid-section of the pool, which is between the three-foot and the deepest sections. She jumped in and played alongside the edge of the pool. Shortly thereafter she was doing handstands in the center of the pool. After a bit she got out and went over to the low dive for numerous jumps. Near the end of our outing, she played with friends in the shallow end. Indeed I had made the right decision. Why confine her? Why tell her of her limitations when she can decide for herself? Evidently, she had not exceeded her limitations where I thought she might. In fact, never would I have predicted that she would roam safely throughout the pool area. Granted, I watched her, but I also watched her succeed. When I got into real estate, many loved ones assured me that real estate was a mistake for me. Everybody had valid horror stories that would convince most that real estate was the wrong direction. My father was the most critical of all. He reminded me of how I had stripped my bicycle pedal as a teen, how I hadn’t ever fixed anything in my entire life, and how I hadn’t any tools! “Property owners need to fix their apartments. You can’t fix anything!” he would say. He was right, you know. I couldn’t fix a leaky faucet if my life had depended on it. Not so surprisingly, there was no way that I could even change an outlet or light switch, let alone a light fixture. My dad was right; he knew my limitations. Real estate was not right for me. In essence, I didn’t have a toolbox, nor knowledge to fix anything. He tried for weeks to discourage me and to point out my shortcomings, which were obviously many. (As you now know, I didn’t listen to him and invested anyhow (Not to spite him, but in spite of him). As I watched my little girl move about the entire pool area, I was pleased that I withheld my advice and good intentions. Although I was concerned, I let her discover her own limitations for herself, which far exceeded my initial assessment. Today, she found that she could move about the pool like the big kids, and grew in ways that she is unaware. Had I intervened, she would have been held back by my good intentions. I was pleased with myself that I allowed her to grow with experience and confidence. Your family and friends want the best for you as well. They want you to succeed, and more importantly, they don’t want to see you fail. Undoubtedly, they will tell factual tales that will horrify you, and hopefully for their sake, prevent your investing in real estate. My advice is to listen to their stories so as to prevent the same thing from happening to you. Read, listen, and learn everything you can to educate yourself and develop strategies and techniques before the purchase of that first piece of property. However, don’t allow others to impose limitations on you; discover limitations for yourself. Follow your dreams, and don’t succeed to spite them, but in spite of them!
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