BiggerPockets

Shawn this is a great topic. I was raised in a household where both parents worked 9-5 gigs and never promoted the entrepreneur lifestyle, although my dads family were business owners he never tried to adapt. I'm not sure what the turning point was for you but I never liked the fact that someone else could control my income and fire me for whatever reason they liked. I never wanted to feel like I had to kiss a** in order to feed my family which is what I saw my dad do but he made it through and stayed on the same job for 31 years. But he was very unhappy. I decided I wanted to be different and have more control over my life.

One thing I have learned is that you will always have people who are waiting for you to fail and can give you a million reasons why something wont work but this is where you have to dig in deep and push onward. I have also learned that most people who are trying to shoot down your ambitious goals are the ones who are afraid to try these things themselves. I have several "friends" and family members who are college educated and feel that what I'm doing is foolish and up until recently felt that getting a "steady" job was the way to secure a good life but since the crash of the economy their viewpoints have changed and seem a little more interested in real estate investing.

When it comes to obtaining,maintaining and expanding a Wealth building mindset here are a few things that have worked in my favor:
1) Stay away from the "nay-sayers". I dont mean cut them out of your life just dont discuss your business goals with them. Period.
2) Educate your self. The worlds of real estate and finance are constantly changing therefore I have learned the more I educate myself on different aspects of the business the more confident I feel about pursuing certain goals.This can be done by reading, listening and networking on awesome sites like BIGGERPOCKETS.
3) Surround yourself with like minded people. You will no doubt need someone to talk with when that "blockbuster" deal falls through but it needs to be someone who can relate to your frustrations. But beware just because someone is an investor does not mean that they wont try to discourage you. You have to learn the difference between someone who is offering constructive criticism and someone who is jealous and trying to pick you apart. Also these colleagues dont have to be involved in real estate. Most business owners experience similar problems.

These are just my personal thoughts on the subject but there are many investors on this forum that can offer some great advice also.

Shawn,

Great topic!

For me... I came from a family where neither parent worked. Yep... one of those rags to riches stories.

It wasn't until after I was out of the Navy and into the "real" world that I saw the possibilities of being an entrepreneur.

I spent 14 years helping someone else build their business which he ultimately sold for many millions. Even while I was helping him, I still didn't get it.

To be frank, it wasn't until I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad, that things started to click.

And... that is how I got into real estate.

Once there I quickly learned that as real estate investors we are out there on our own. I have since learned that every business owner is on their own... because it is lonely at the top.

That is one of the great things about Bigger Pockets and sites like it... we don't have to feel alone.

In addition, I would recommend joining your local REIA if you haven't already and also look for other networking opportunities in your area. Even if they are not real estate specific.

Every business owner experiences that same stuff everyday... it is just cloaked in different business models.

And lastly, I wrote an article a couple of weeks ago discussing who we asscoicate with, which I have reposted to the this Bigger Pockets link... http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1250.

Best of luck to you...

Pete

I'll never forget my Mom's response when I told her I was striking out of my own and becoming self-employed after 13 years working in the corporate world: 'You can't be serious. That's ridiculous ... you have a family now and can't afford to take chances like it. You need to think about your retirement.'

---- best thing she could have said to me as it motivates me during tough times when I think back. :mrgreen:

I grew up in a place where people always are looking to open their own businesses, many of them with family. My mom along with several of our family members bought a medical lab she worked in that was owned by a big newspaper that was in financial distress, and they were selling their side businesses cheap. She worked at the lab as one of 4 full time staff. I remember when I was a kid, before kindergarten, they offered it on the market my dad was pushing her to buy it. One of my earlier memories is my mom crying and really stressed because of her fear of doing it. She knew she could do it but was scared of the commitment. But she did it and now its the biggest lab in the city, with 5 branches with 150+ staff. She has the attitude that everything has to be done very well, even it if means she has to do it herself, and most importantly to know how much you're going to make before you do the job (before some deals, I ask her to review my Excel spreadsheets). I now live in a different country as them, in the RE biz and doing my best on my own.

When I was a kid they always said 2 things about my future profession.... they said whatever I do I have to be the best at... and you should be a doctor. I guess I am not a doctor....... trying my best to be the best though.

Tiger-
Wow, you're light years ahead me when I was 17 (and probably most of your peers) in terms of business maturity .... sounds like you're already focused on what you want in life and how you are going to get it.

Re: college - yes, it's for an education to help with a 'J-O-B' down the road but it's also a great time to grow and mature as a person ... There are some wonderful intangibles that come with going off to get an education so don't completely discount it... not saying it's right for everyone but just something to think about. Regardless, keep keeping on with real estate - it's been a wonderful wealth vehicle for many folks who've done it right! :mrgreen: