Author Archive
Land Trusts! What You Need to Know to Get Started
Posted on August 7, 2017 byLand Trusts are one of the most confusing and often misunderstood aspects of real estate investing.
In this article, we’re going to discuss a few basic, essential things you should know about Land Trusts if you’re buying & selling houses, are concerned with privacy, and/or want to enhance your estate planning.
I’m often asked about these wonderful ‘things’ called Land Trusts, and the techniques & benefits that are associated with them. As a land trust expert, it’s an AMAZING feeling to have the knowledge & confidence to be able to use them correctly. Would you like to have that awesome feeling? Great! Keep reading…
There are SO many benefits you get by taking title to property in a Land Trust. Let’s look at a few of the benefits associated with these entities and WHY it’s vitally important for you to be familiar with them, shall we? Read More→
So! What Do YOU Do For a Living?
Posted on July 10, 2017 by“What do YOU do for a living?”
Those words can strike fear and paralysis in the hearts & minds of the tragically unprepared. If you’re newly in business for yourself, or have just never really gotten your head properly wrapped around HOW you should respond to this powerful question, you’re sunk. Handle it the right way, and you’ll be rewarded with confidence, respect, and a fatter bank account.
And that’s exactly what we’re going to cover in this article. So shut off your Facebook & keep reading…
It never fails. You’re out at a social event, taking a flight somewhere, or maybe you just strike up a casual conversation with someone somewhere sometime. If you’re both adults over the age of 25 or so, the question eventually comes up, “What do you do?” Read More→
The Carrot? Or the Stick? Which Do THEY Prefer? – Part 2
Posted on June 5, 2017 byIn Part One of this article, we discussed YOU and why you do the things you do. Specifically, we talked about WHY people do or don’t do things for two primary reasons: To gain pleasure or to avoid pain. This is also known as the Carrot or the Stick – the carrot is something good that we want, while the stick represents the pain we don’t want.
We also mentioned a few common things that most people in this world want/desire, like love, money, and good health as well as a few things that most people don’t want/are afraid of, like fear of missing out, getting hurt, rejection, or clowns. ;)
Finally, we talked about some stuff that you might not like – why you may not be as successful as you’d like to be, or why you don’t always do some of the things you know you should be doing.
In other words, we started with YOU. Still stuck on that? Ok, go back and read the article again. But if you’re ready to move on, let’s go… Read More→
The Carrot? Or the Stick? Which Do YOU Prefer?
Posted on May 1, 2017 byIn this article, we’re going to discuss something vitally important that may very well help you understand a LOT about yourself and everyone around you on this planet. Yes, that includes dealing with sellers, buyers, private lenders, and even those alien creatures we love to call tenants. Also-your mother, brother, father, sister, sons and daughters, uncles, best friends and distant relatives.
So You might NOT want to read this article… Unless you want to discover the secrets behind the reasons WHY people DO or DON’T Do the things they do…or don’t do.
It all comes down to TWO things. The Carrot and the Stick.
The CARROT represents something GOOD that we WANT, while the STICK represents something BAD that we DON’T want. Read More→
Unplugging… To Recharge (Revisited)
Posted on April 3, 2017 byAs I write these words, I’m overlooking the crystal-clear blue-tinged waters of the Caribbean. The boats in the marina are docked and their crews are scurrying about in preparation of the day’s activities. The weather here in Curacao (a Dutch Caribbean island just north of Venezuela) has been exquisite, as my slight sunburn indicates. It should be about 82 degrees here today, while back home it’s a balmy 30 degrees.
So, have YOU taken a vacation recently? Did you have the chance to get away and do something fun, relaxing, or otherwise fulfilling lately? If not, why not? There have been countless studies done and research conducted that prove that people who take the time to take vacations live longer, happier, and healthier lives. Google that if you don’t believe me. Or ask the guy who sold us our timeshare (I’ll get back to you about that). Read More→
The Less You SAY The More You Make: How To Get Rich by Keeping Your Big Mouth Shut!
Posted on March 6, 2017 by“Blah, blah, blah!”
That’s what we hear when most people talk. And sometimes that’s what other people hear when WE talk, too.
Have you ever noticed that most people think of what they’re going to say, rather than listen to the person who is talking? But when it comes to negotiating, that can be a HUGE mistake! Here’s why…
Let’s say you’re talking to a seller about their house, and when you ask them to describe their situation, they just seem to go on & on about how wonderful the house is, the gossip about the neighbor, how their health is failing, etc.
A lot of people will be thinking how boring or irrelevant that is, and just want to get to the numbers, or instead – talk about themselves. Am I right??
But if you do that, you might just miss out on a very important detail you need when it’s time to negotiate a decent deal with them. Read More→
Talent vs. Skill
Posted on February 6, 2017 byQuick question for you: Are you talented? Or do you have skills? THAT is the question of the day.
And before you answer that, let me define what they each mean, because it’s vitally important to know the difference between the two. :)
Then after we define the difference, we’re going to help you leverage one in order to maximize the other so that you’ll be able to get whatever you want with minimal effort. Sound good? Let’s get started…
What is TALENT? Simply put, it’s what you’re born with. Your God-given gifts. Your natural tools. For example, the ability to run really fast or sing extremely well. Other examples would include being mathematically-inclined, naturally charismatic, graceful & coordinated, or naturally artistic. Read More→
“I Can Tell By The TONE of Your VOICE!” Aka Ninja Influence
Posted on January 9, 2017 byLast month, we talked about the words we use and how powerful they are. This month, we’re going to take it to the next level.
So there’s a famous study that was done a while ago by Dr. Albert Mehrabian, that showed that only 7% of our communication is conveyed through words, 38% is from our vocal tonality, and the rest (55%) is through ‘nonverbal elements,’ such as your posture, gestures, and facial expressions.
Based on what I wrote in my last article, I believe that our words represent a lot more than only 7%, but that’s not what this article is going to be about. No, in this article, we’re going to get into that other stuff – specifically: Tonality – HOW we say what we say.
Call me crazy for trying to write about something you HEAR. Obviously, this would be a lot easier for me to demonstrate in a video, or on an audio recording. But we don’t have that luxury here, so I’ll just have to flex my writin’ skills! Read More→
The Words We Use
Posted on December 5, 2016 bySTOP what you’re doing and read this. I promise that it’s worth it.
You have more power in you than you know. Right now, you have the ability to change someone’s life, starting with your own. And starting now – in this moment – you’re about to learn some secrets that can produce powerful results for you.
The “Big Secret” is this: The words you choose to use every day are vitally important. To you and everyone around you.
Words have power. They have the power to uplift. They have the ability to motivate, to inspire, to elicit emotion. Words can make someone laugh, cry, or smile.
For example: A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, “Why the long face?” LOL Read More→
Fail Forward – FAST!
Posted on November 7, 2016 byHey, guess what? I Want You to FAIL!
“Say what now? Fail? But failure is a bad thing, right? That’s what they taught me in school…AND in my job! And all my friends make fun of each other when we fail.”
Yes. Exactly. So what?
I’d like you to think back to when you were a kid. Everything was new to you in the world. You really had to learn things for yourself… How to eat, drink, think, walk, talk, and interact with stuff, right? If you can’t remember any of that, just watch kids.
Have you ever watched a kid learn how to walk? They fall down a lot, don’t they? But here’s the truly interesting thing: They don’t stay down. They don’t listen to their well-meaning friends who laugh at them, and they don’t care what grade they get.
No, they stand up, wobble around a bit, and fall down. Then they stand up again, wobble some more, then put one foot out and take a step! Read More→
Having FUN While Getting it DONE!
Posted on October 3, 2016 byWelcome back! In last month’s article, we discussed how it seems like there are a lot of people who are having a really hard time taking the action they need to take in order to have success. Based on my experience & observations, I theorized that a big reason for this is not just because of the inherent fears that people have, but also because many people seem to believe that the actions they need to take are going to be painful, or at the very least – not fun.
So we began by talking about one of the most common activities that a lot of people seem to have challenges with: Talking on the Phone with Sellers and other people! The first thing that needs to happen is to change your mindset before you even begin to make your calls.
The last thing we discussed was how to use a cheap, simple kitchen tool (a 3-minute hourglass egg timer) to determine whether the person with whom you’re talking is going to waste your time or not. Go back to last month’s publication and re-read that if necessary.
Now, in this article, we’re going to finish up by learning some cool new tips on how to make taking the actions that you know you should be taking a lot more FUN! Ready? Ok, here we go… Read More→
Having a Hard Time Taking Action? Let’s Make it FUN Instead!
Posted on September 7, 2016 byEvery week, I have the pleasure of mentoring some wonderful people who are in the process of mastering the art of real estate investing. We work on the basics of marketing, making offers, talking to sellers & buyers, deal structuring, how to write up contracts, etc.
Once the essential elements and techniques are understood, a game plan has been developed, and the student knows WHAT to do & HOW to do it, the only thing left to do at that point is to…TAKE ACTION!
And this is often where the problems occur. Taking action. Why is that part so hard for so many people?
Could it be that we’re afraid of the unknown? Or maybe because we think that we have to give up something we hold dear in order to be successful? Or perhaps it’s the fear of success itself that holds so many people back?
Whatever the case, I’ve noticed that it’s a real issue that truly stands in the way of potentially massive, life-changing experiences and success. Read More→
