What Will You do for Success in Real Estate?

This past week got me thinking about everything that it has taken for me to get to where I am today. This thought was spurred by a decision I had to make, whether to work or have fun? I had to choose whether to rock out to one of my favorite musical artists performing live at SXSW here in Austin, TX, or keep my word to a seller and meet with her and discuss a potentially great mobile home opportunity.

Over the past eight years I have spent real estate investing I have had to make countless decisions of whether to work towards success or “enjoy the moment” and play with my friends. We all have these daily dilemmas. I personally may still have a 9-5 job if I had chosen to play more in the past, instead of working so hard. On the other hand, any one of us could be further ahead today if we had spent more time working and less time playing, relaxing or enjoying down time.

Whether you choose to work in your free time, by hanging bandit signs, writing offers, driving for dollars and writing letters to out of state owners, or you choose to relax when you are away from the job and continue playing in your Monday night softball league, seeing movies and going to beach, the choice is solely up to you. There is no right or wrong answer here. Only you can choose what you will do for success.

You have probably guessed by now that I choose to take the ‘higher road’ and keep my appointment with the seller. My rational, “You can’t steal in slow motion.” As I write this article the seller and I are still negotiating price and terms for the acquisition of her property. Whether I get the property under contract or not is irrelevant. If I do secure the mobile home I have the opportunity to make thousands of dollars. If we do not make a deal, I have made my next decision easier.

Whenever we make a decision – whether positive or negative – to our well being, we are reinforcing a certain ideal. On a daily basis, we are presented with forks in the road to our success. If you take the road that leads to work, you are telling yourself that you believe in your future and your ability to succeed. The next time you are presented with this choice the decision will be a little easier. Conversely, if you choose a beach weekend instead of working on your real estate business you are telling yourself that playing is more important than your real estate success.

Whether you are unemployed or work three jobs, the down time you have is spent doing something. You must use this time away from your traditional employment to work towards succeeding in real estate this year.

The topic of this article can be described in countless ways: drive, determination, dedication, ambition etc. I will paraphrase what the late Jack Miller once told me about what a person who needs to succeed in real estate and surpass their competition, must do; be willing to dedicate the next 5 years to working when everyone else is at home watching television and enjoying their idle time.

“Work today when others won’t, to live tomorrow like others can’t.”

– J. fed

Photo: sacks08

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.