I’ll never forget the night I met Monika – the real estate investing superhero / mom / wife / teacher.
I remember the mastermind session like it was yesterday. She thought the busier she was, the more successful she was.
At the time, she wasn’t my coaching client, but I didn’t hold back telling her anything.
I believe it’s more valuable to tell the truth than sugar coat things…because we just don’t have the time to waste when we have a real estate investing business.
Anyhoo, I told her she was wearing the “busy badge of honour” and it only fed her ego, while it slowly eroded everything she said she cared about: primarily, her kids and her family.
I intuitively decided that she needed to see her life in a REAL, visual way. So I spent about 25 minutes writing down every minute of her day on a huge piece of paper..
So she, and EVERYONE in the room could see it.
The more I added, the more embarrassed she became.
Because there was literally no room left for anything in her day.
She had everything listed to the minute – and I’m not exaggerating.
She was “busy” alright, but there was no room for error.
And certainly no room for her to be a (real) mom and wife – where she’s totally engaged and present – even though it was “scheduled” in.
Can you imagine that?
SCHEDULING time to “BE” a mom or dad / spouse?
So I asked her “Can you point to where you’re spending quality time with your kids?”
Her chin dropped down as she pointed to one part of her day that read, “kids home from school 3pm-3:20pm”
And, cringing a little more, to another part that read “dinner 6pm-6:30pm.”
I asked her “Great, so that means your cell phone is off and you’re totally engaged with them?”
“Oh no…I can’t turn the phone off, that’s the source of my business” she told me as she rose up in her chair slightly. (read: superhero mindset in full effect)
“But you’re telling me you’re ENGAGED in quality time with your family in those time slots, right?” I subtly challenged.
”Yes!” she said as her superhero chin raised to confirm.
I turned to the group and asked “Can anyone say delusional?”
Yeah – I’m that blunt.
Because I’ve got no time to waste with anyone.
And THEY have no time to waste inside a fantasy world where they only see one perspective…
If I would have let her off the hook and tell her, “Okay then, if it works for you…” I firmly believe she would not have changed her life in the same was she has since I’ve been working with her.
Sure, that’s a small plug for my coaching, but this piece is REALLY about you – and how you can maybe do the same exercise and get YOUR day on paper so you can see how it REALLY is.
It’s a technique I use ALL the time in my coaching sessions because it gets amazing results. So give it try.
MORE is NEVER the Answer When it Comes to Real Estate Investing
The MORE she added to her plate (opportunities, deals, meetings, seminars, meet ups, soccer, tennis, ballet and piano lessons – the list goes on and on), the LESS freedom she had.
Even though she was physically there with her kids and her husband at night, the business still consumed her thoughts.
IT (the business) was always first. When the phone rang, it was “hang on honey, I’ve got to take this.”
IF she was at her kids’ sports games, she’d be catching up on emails instead of watching the play.
REALLY?
Does that sound like engagement to you?
Head down, buried in a 5.6-inch screen?
It may sound like I’m a bit harsh after reading this story, but it’s the truth.
And we’re ALL guilty of this.
I’m not telling you anything Monika doesn’t already know (or what I’ve personally told her).
In fact, she’s at the beginning of my book telling her real estate investing superhero story in her own words, so you can avoid this mess in the first place.
Here’s the point of this story:
Be REALLY clear about YOUR freedom and what it looks like both today and in the future.
This way, you don’t give up your current life trying to be a superhero real estate investor.
To get a copy of my book “How to Win at Real Estate to Break the Freedom Barrier” so you can read more inspiring stories and learn my hypersonic investment strategy so you can avoid being the real estate investing superhero an go from fear to your first (or next) property – click here.