I’ve been starting businesses for 30 years. And after taking a look at those that failed right away, those that lingered and then failed, those that puttered along, and those that soared, I have come to the conclusion that to be successful, you need a “ready-fire-aim” approach.
Let me give you an example.
When I first got into the rental real estate business, I had no knowledge of how it works. But I did have a basic understanding of real estate, having bought and sold properties before.
So I did two things.
First, I bought some “how-to” books and spent, maybe, 40 hours studying them.
I zipped through them pretty quickly, because most of what they taught were fundamentals. And that’s not what I was looking for. I knew I would pick up the basics on my own, just by buying my first few properties.
I was looking for secrets — inside information that could get me into profitability faster. So, more important than studying the books, I talked to knowledgeable people — lots of them — who had made millions in real estate. (I spoke to one guy at a party who had reportedly made billions.)
That’s what I do whenever I am interested in a new business. I search out pros in the field and ask as many questions as they will tolerate. I am always probing for the same things:
- What are the most common mistakes I’m likely to make?
- What is the fastest and safest way to get started?
It took about three months of this sort of research before I felt “ready” to buy.
I bought three small houses in my town. All three seemed good on paper. In reality, they were a mixed bag. I made several big mistakes in assessing their value that I won’t make again. I also quickly learned things I’ll never forget about how to write a contract and how to screen rental applications.
What I gleaned from the books and conversations was enough to get me started. It helped me avoid the worst mistakes. It put me on the right path.
But what I learned from the experience of doing it was the good stuff — the true inside information that helped me eventually establish a decamillion-dollar portfolio.
I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: The most important knowledge about any business is invisible to outsiders. You can pick it up only when you are actively involved in the business on a day-to-day basis. You can’t know it any other way.
That kind of knowledge will determine your ultimate success — whether you keep going and become rich or stop at the starting gate and do no more.
Where are you with your great moneymaking idea? Are you “ready” to take action on it?
If not, take a few months to acquire the knowledge you need. Spend some money to educate yourself. But buy how-to books and programs only from people with proven success in the field, not from those who make money only by selling advice.
Then “fire”! The sooner you get going, the sooner you’ll succeed.
———————————————- Advertisement —————————————————
The Closest You’ll Get to Effortless Weight Loss
Suppose you could drop all of your unwanted fat… I’m talking 10, 20, even 30 or more pounds… without going to the gym or forcing yourself to eat rice cakes and tofu burgers?
A new clinical study published in the medical journal Lipids in Health and Disease says it’s now possible.
The participants in this study lost an average of 28 pounds and 6 inches off their belly. And they didn’t change their diet or exercise habits one bit.
This just may be the most successful weight loss compound ever tested!
Click here to find out how you can join the “newly slim and trim” crowd…
————————————————————————————————————————–
Similar Articles:
- The First Step to Becoming a Millionaire Real Estate Investor – Thanks to real estate investing, I no longer have to work full-time. If I want to go hiking in the m…
- An Easy-to-Prevent Scam – When you’re just starting out in the real estate business, take advantage of what others have alread…
- Is Shiny Penny Syndrome Preventing You From Being Rich? – Have you ever been walking down the street – focused on getting somewhere in record time – only to s…
- Real Estate Investing Partnerships: Breaking Up Is Never Easy – The main reason my husband and I were able to build a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio in l…
- There are so many lessons that Ive learned it was hard to pick just one. – “You asked for feedback on one important lesson learned from ETR. There are so many lessons that I’v…
- Real Estate 101: Making Money When You Buy – My husband and I have built a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio in eight years, in our spare…
- If You Get Knocked Down, Get Up – The letter was from the publisher of a magazine where I’d just placed an ad for an instructional bal…