Your Big Why and Planning the Future

A while back at an event I got the opportunity to sit across from a couple of brand new investors. As I usually do, I asked them what they were investing in; they admitted that they were newbies and weren’t really sure where to begin. We discussed their level of knowledge and expertise, and I found the conversation drifting away from real estate and more into the lifestyle design arenas. I started asking them about their “Big Why” – why were they wanting to leave their corporate jobs, what they wanted to do with their time, and what would make them happy.

We started putting a dollar value to that lifestyle and level of comfort. I saw their eyes get a bit wide as the reality of what they were up against hit them. I quickly reassured them that real estate was a great choice to attain the lifestyle they envisioned if they were willing to work hard and put in the hours, but how? We didn’t get into too much detail on the spot, but we talked about breaking those big goals down into time frames and smaller milestones. We discussed assigning how many and what type of deals could get them to those milestones, as well as what were they comfortable doing and how their personalities would help them to achieve their goal. They made notes on what types of marketing and how many offers they would have to make each month, week, and day in order to acquire the number of properties to hit their goals.

We then went back to their “Big Why” and discussed if it was really big enough. By that, I meant to talk to them about whether their choice to pursue real estate would be big enough to get them up and out of bed every day? Big enough to push them to tackle that daily task list? Big enough to hit those smaller goals knowing that as each milestone is hit that they are that much closer to the lifestyle and freedom they want? They made some more notes, and I think they had some talking points to consider as they pursue their real estate vision.

So what is your “Big Why”? Why are you a real estate investor? Is it big enough to get you out of bed each morning with a smile on your face, ready to face the day? Is it big enough to motivate you after 3 months of busting your butt without finding the right deal? This isn’t something you can come up with overnight if you haven't spent any time on it already, so let your mind wander. Dream big! Dream really big and write it down. Look at it every day and see yourself living that lifestyle. Then break down how you will get there. Get really specific, all the way down to daily tasks. Now you’ve put goals and milestones on paper and you have created a map showing you how to get to that big dream and lifestyle you desire.

To be honest, this isn’t easy. The dreaming part of this puzzle may be easier than identifying the “Why”, especially when you analyze and determine if your “Why” is a solid vision to which you can remain dedicated. Nevertheless, I promise, if you work hard to identify the “Why”, develop your vision, and stay focused, you will be set up to achieve the vision you set for yourself.