Never following through... is the same as quitting.
For those of you who don't know, I've run a great "coffee meetup" in Los Angeles before moving to Boca Raton, Florida. While in South Florida, I couldn't find a similar meetup, so I started one in Delray Beach, FL. There are only 3 rules... no fee to show up, no pitching of services, and respect everyone in the room. The meeting is an amazing collection of eclectic minds, and I look forward to them every month. Just as the coffee meeting in Los Angeles was, the group of regulars become friends and freely bounce ideas and strategies off of each other. We support and encourage each other, and I can honestly say that I've become a better investor as a result of it. I hope my coffee meetup friends can say the same.
Many people ask to be tagged for future meetings. I am happy to do so! I've been tagging 120+ people for the coffee meetup for almost two years. The sad reality is that many of these people that ask to be tagged never show. Many of them never even log into BiggerPockets again. Most never follow up. They never get started... and they quit. I viewed the profiles of the list I tag, and 30% have been inactive over a year. They just gave up and quit.
I could easily say "GOOD RIDDANCE! That's just less competition, and more for me"! But that's not the truth. More investors and better investors MAKE ME A BETTER INVESTOR!! It doesn't even matter if I am the most seasoned investor in the room. The energy from the new person motivates me. The outside the box thinking may change my focus to something better. But this post isn't about me...
The focus of this post is, that although there were good intentions, the quitters of the world have become complacent with mediocrity. They will never know how great they could have become because they never tried. They've decided that extraordinary is too hard, and ordinary is alright. Coasting through life and taking the easy way is alright. I certainly don't mind. These people become my tenants.
Everyone reading this post has a choice.
You can choose to be extraordinary with hard work and sacrifice. Or you can choose to be my tenant and pay my mortgage.
If investing in real estate was easy, everyone would do it. It's not easy. Saving money is a grind. Tightening your belt, living below your means, not "poppin bottles, buying prada bags, and straight ballin" can be tough (for some). Dealing with tenants can be a pain. But this is the sacrifice now to live a life of financial freedom in the future. The funny part is that it may not even work out! But I am willing to try, and I am going to fight for it.
Any one else out there willing to fight? If not... I have a rental application for you.