What's on your Wall? Behind your monitor?

Question

After recently relistening to a few podcasts (namely #224 with Chris Clothier) talk about his backdrop came up. He has large whiteboards all around him tracking things like seminar schedules, KPIs (key performance indicators), notes for publishing ideas, and general imporant notes. As I look around my office, namely the wall behind my triplicate monitor set up I notice a stark backdrop with a single decoration. A gift from my mother-in-law. A personalized clock with the following inscription "SUCCESS is not something that happens in the future. Success is made up of LITTLE STEPS taken RIGHT NOW" with my name engraved in a chrome plate. It's a nice touch and always in my view. I also have a map of New England with map pins and string outlining my outer market boundary and a custom color coded map of the same with my target areas color coded by distance. I also have the most perfect version of a handrawn lady bug from my 4 year old daughter!

I feel that my hours of grinding away at my computer screens I need a little more on the wall for my view and motivation. The area I am working with is about 3'x4'. I have other things in my office standard wall calendar, small wall mounted book shelf, degrees, and some Frank Lloyd Wright/Architectural Prints/Photos, but I want to declutter them and focus my office envelope into more purposeful, motivational, and task oriented. The popularity of Zoom/Webex meetings made this more obviousl as I observe the various background of co-workers, collegues, and fellow investors.

What do your office walls look like?

Dan Milinazzo · Answer

@Jonathan Bombaci @Michael Ketchen you are guys I speak to more regularly outside of BP and that I consider successful, local, and relatable. What do you have going on in your new hampshire and lowell massachusetts offices? I don't have the doors you have, so I am less focused on tracking/managing current assets right now and more so prospecting for BRRRR or Buy & Hold?

Jonathan Bombaci · Answer

From a real estate perspective every week I have 2 meetings with my team to go over our numbers and see where we stand. Here is an image of what I call our "huddle board" from a few weeks ago it allows us to go through some of the things coming up for the week to make sure everyone is getting the support and notifications they need.

Ian Walsh · Answer

A handwritten focus goal of mine and a picture my son drew for me.

Richard Dale-Mesaros · Answer

^ Sking is my big why, so of course I have Glen Plake along with various wipe-boards for tracking deals, ideas and inventory etc...... :)

Dan Milinazzo · Answer

That looks like a great tool for a team approach. I appreciate you sharing that. I'm considering a goal chart to keep my focus on chipping away at the core goals and a reasonable measure of time. something like the attached image, but a little less "tacky" for lack of a better word.

Cliff Miller · Answer

Directly behind my monitor is a blank wall in a nice relaxing color. I have found I get distracted too easily to have too much in front of me past what I should be looking at. However, behind me and around me, outside of my periphery, are reference books, art, and pictures of my wife and twin girls.

Richard Dale-Mesaros · Answer

@Dan Milinazzo liking the Real Value Ventures name - I haven't read any of Simon's books but of course have listened to stuff on YouTube he's done. Currently reading The Go-giver, having just finished Traction and Rocket Fuel, with 40+ more on the list. We should do a call sometime to compare notes......

Dan Milinazzo · Answer

@Richard Dale-Mesaros that's a great idea to have a visual representation of your Why! I just yesterday printed the word "Why" and put it up on the wall. I assume you are familiar with Simon Sinek's book?

@Ian Walsh great! Along the lines of Richard's idea and my putting the word "Why" on the wall. I work slightly more than full-time so there are days that are harder to grind, but I need to keep the momentum and that's the type of stuff I'm talking about.

@Kris L. My desk always faced a wall for that reason. Sometimes I just have to look up from the screen and I want something to look at to reenergize me to keep grinding. Like a visual espresso lol.

thanks for the feedback. What other ideas do you all (BP community) have? my focus is BRRRR if that matters. And currently finding deals to data crunch that are not crazy far away is proving difficult.

Kris L. · Answer

@Dan Milinazzo

A window looking at the street. Occasionally distracting.

What's on your Wall? Behind your monitor?

What's on your Wall? Behind your monitor?

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