We’re Back!  We’ve been gone for a while, but now we are back and better than ever.  In this episode Todd shares what has been happening the past several years, and what we are up to these days.

“You Won’t Find Treasure on a Well Traveled Path”  is a quote I heard many years ago that has always stuck with me and guided me and my style of real estate investing.  If you consistently go where everyone else is going, then you’ll only be left to pick up the scraps and bits and pieces that are left behind by all those who are going before you.  If you want to really excel and find great fortunes, then you have to get off the easy beaten path, create a new path, and only there will you find the truly undiscovered hidden treasures.

Since early on, I have always been a problem solver and creative thinker when it comes to making money.  Every time I would see lots of people going into one area of real estate investing, I would think “If everyone is going there, then were aren’t they looking?”  I would work on figuring out what areas – what niches – of real estate investing weren’t being touched, and how to profit from them

For example, in the early 2000′s, in Phoenix, Arizona I was working pre-foreclosures quite a bit.  Things were going pretty well, then suddenly there was a slew of real estate investing seminars that began coming through town.  All of the top Real Estate Gurus suddenly were holding seminars in Phoenix on how to buy foreclosures.  They were everywhere, at least 6 a month were coming through, and the competition heated up.  Investors began coming out of the woodwork.

Now, there is nothing wrong with a little competition, but this was getting ridiculous.  You see, some of the people attending the free seminar didn’t sign up for the course to really learn how to properly invest in real estate.  They just got the free preview info and considered themselves an expert.  So they were out offering people in foreclosure near full price for their houses, not taking into account the holding cost, fix up, etc.  So the offers I was normally making that benefitted the sellers, were looking really low and people were turning them down right and left because of all the high offers being placed by these highly inexperienced investors who couldn’t even close on them.  Business suffered.

So, let’s take a look at this, what was going on?  Lots of investors were going into foreclosures.  They were looking up on the internet using the public records, locating people, contacting them, and striking up a deal.  Ok, so, where “weren’t” they going and what weren’t they doing?  Hummm … well, I began to notice a number of vacant houses around town that had no for sale signs on them, no ads were being run in the newspapers for them, and they apparently had been vacant for quite some time, so they weren’t bank REO’s, otherwise the banks would have them cleaned up and for sale with a Realtor.  Also, the only way to find these properties was to physically drive around looking for them, something many investors these days frown on doing.  They would rather just sit at home and work everything from their computer.

Hummm, an opportunity?  Absolutely!  Treasure that was off the well traveled path.

Frank McKinney, the Maverick Daredevil Real Estate Artist – who I had the pleasure of interviewing for my podcast – went from fixing up little crack house HUD homes to building some of the most spectacular spec luxury homes (currently working on one for $125 Million), says in his early days, people talked about “Location, Location, Location”, he says, “I don’t buy it … if you want to make money, you have to be willing to go where other investors won’t”.  He would buy little crack houses that other investors were afraid of, and turn them into nice homes.  He saw an opportunity, and went off the beaten path.

The Moral of this Story?  You can make a good living by following the crowds, doing what everyone else is doing, following the standard conventions and techniques taught by most real estate courses – but if you want to really make tremendous wealth, then you will find it were the majority is not going.  Explore where others are going and what they are doing.  Then put on your thinking cap and brainstorm about where are they not going?  What area of real estate are the investors in your area not looking at and why?  Is it they don’t know about it or see the opportunities, or is it they only know of one way of making that segment of the real estate market work.  Then figure out ways you can make it work.  For every property there is someone willing to buy it, for whatever reason.  If the price is right, they will buy.  Find those, and create your own niche.

Be a trail blazer, and explore your own path to incredible Wealth!

Let me get this straight, you want to be an entrepreneur?

What? Are you out of your mind?

Why would you want to do that? Oh, I know … take control of your own destiny, manage your own time, be your own boss, make more money, live an opulent lifestyle, and all that sort of stuff … right?

Hummmmm …

Well, that’s all fine … in an ideal World. But let’s take a little reality check of what being an entrepreneur is really all about -

1. You will put in long hours. L-o-o-o-n-n-g-g hours!
2. You will work a lot of time with no idea if you will get paid any time soon.
3. There are no guarantees you will ever even get paid.
4. There will be many sacrifices of your time, energy, spending less time with your kids and spouse. Friends will forget your name.
5. 5You may be under stress and get frustrated and have periods of feeling like giving up.
6. 6) You will be pulled in many directions, chasing one way or another not knowing if the path you are on is the right one, so trying many in hopes something works out.
7. 7) Friends and Family will criticize you, try to destroy your dreams, tell you to get a real job and to give up this fantasy of achieving success.

No, really, you do have to be crazy. Who would want to do this? Normal people would just keep their jobs and not subject themselves to all of this insanity.

Well fortunately a little crazy is good. While the road to success is not always easy and paved with gold, it does have it’s rewards for those who endure. If you study the history of most every successful entrepreneur, almost all of them “paid their dues” by going down this road of insanity and coming out the other side victorious. Success doesn’t come for free, there is a price to pay, be it in your time, sweat, or sanity … and the rewards, can be tremendous.

But becoming Wealthy takes far more effort than many people imagine it does. If you want to make ten thousand dollars, it takes more effort than most ordinary jobs will require. Making a million takes an even greater level of effort, and if you want to talk about making 10 million? Well that certainly takes a level of determination and effort that would surprise most of us mere mortals. One thing is for sure, it takes far more effort to achieve wealth than many of the programs and seminars out there would lead us to believe.

There’s another misconception too, which is that once one achieves success, their days will be spent on the beach on some tropical island or just kicking back watching TV all day long while our wealth continues to grow and grow. Much like a farmer who grows a plant to maturity, it takes effort to achieve success, and then it takes effort to maintain it. Left unattended, it will wilt and wither away. If you want wealth without work, play the lottery. If you want success, then plan for success and how you will grow and maintain it.

So, not sounding so good after all, huh? Contemplating keeping that boring job now?

Well before you do, let me just say, that all this effort and sacrifice does have it’s rewards. While you are busy working to make and maintain your success, in your “off” time, you will be kicking back in your multi-million dollar mansion, dining on steak and lobster, taking drives in your BMW, Ferrari, or Aston Martin, traveling to exotic locations locally and in other countries, being able to buy most anything your heart desires, and provide for your family in a way that most people only dream of. Plus, you will have learned – and can afford – to hire assistants to delegate tasks and duties to so as to free up your time even more to enjoy the pleasures of life that you can now afford.

Success truly does have it’s rewards, and it definitely is worth the effort. It takes a rare breed to want to go down this path, and not all who do make it. Not for lack of trying, but more for a lack of sticking with it. Success may not come as quickly as you had hoped, but abandoning it’s pursuit will certainly ensure you will fail. Stick with it, it’s all worth it in the end.

So, do you have to be a little crazy to want success? Well, yeah, a little, it certainly helps, you have to be willing to let go of the security and certainty of having a regular paycheck to go into a career that can pay very well. Others will call you crazy, or a dreamer … and all the while you will be the one laughing – all the way to the bank.

Most great things have been achieved by those others called crazy … and great fortunes were often built out of their “craziness”. So does creating great wealth and crazy go hand in hand? Well, I don’t know if it does, but I’m not taking any chances.

I hope to become one of the craziest people on the Planet. Who’s with me?

Who’s the Boss in your business? You are, of course, right?

Absolutely! But does that mean you should treat everyone you encounter like they are your employees? Recently I had some experiences that reminded me of something that many real estate investors tend to do, that they don’t realize is killing their business.

Not too long ago I was going over some ads and I called on some properties that were for sale, that were owned by investors. Out of 20 calls on different properties not a one of them answered their phone, so I left messages that I was interested in the properties and only 2 people actually got back to me.

So, why didn’t any of them answer their phone and only 2 sellers got back to me? Because many investors who get into this career and start making money, develop a sense of self-importance that people should come to them and that they are so important now and call the shots in everything they do. I have seen this many many times over the course of my career.

Now, I do realize that some people work a job and can’t always answer the phone. I’m also not knocking that as an investor they can become busy and that the whole reason that they got into business for themselves in the first place is to be in control of their own lives and make their own rules. However … when people are calling on a property that you have, they are your customers. It’s not a privilege for people to work with you and buy your properties, they are customers and we need customers in our business to buy our properties so that we can get paid.

Like in any industry, if you don’t take care of your customers, someone else will, and in real estate investing, if you aren’t there to get back to the customers promptly, they will move on to other deals.

On the other side of the equation, when investors are calling on ads on properties, many do the opposite of what they themselves do and expect people to answer the phone when they call, and if they don’t answer, they won’t leave a message, or expect the people to call them back from the caller ID (why they assume that people will just call back rather than leave them a message is beyond me, but they do). Some don’t want to leave their contact because they fear that people will get their name and number and keep contacting them to sell them something. They want to feel “in control” by controlling the exchange of information. Or they feel that if the person can’t answer their call, then they don’t’ want to sell their property very badly (yet do this very thing themselves).

Case in point, an investor friend of mine recently called on an ad for 3 properties for sale by one owner who said he needed to sell. They were priced in the ad way below market – WAY below, so it should have been easy pickings for any investor. Well, my friend called and had to leave a message, and the guy called him back right away and told him that he was the only one out of dozens of calls that actually left a message, and so my friend was the only one that he called back. They are currently working out terms of the deal for even lower than the guy was already asking. All because no other investor was willing to “lower themselves” by leaving an actual voicemail for the guy.

Another example, I contacted a public relations company that specializes in working with speakers for companies – which is something I do – and getting them speaking engagements, and helping promote them. They get paid up front for their services and make money getting the speakers gigs. So I first contacted them, and no one answered and I left a message (sound familiar?). After a week of no one getting back to me, I called again and finally got hold of them and they told me they would love to work with me, but could not see me for a month and a half because they were planning to go to some conferences out of state and were excited about it and would have to make me wait.

Now realize, they get paid by having clients and getting paid by clients – not taking trips to conferences – yet they were too busy to get to me. Then, when I politely said I needed to get moving sooner than that and would have to look elsewhere, they seemed surprised and offended that I wouldn’t wait on them. Uh … I’m sorry, who’s the customer here and who’s the boss?

Time and time again, I have gotten rock bottom deals, and made a ton of money by doing simple things like taking prompt action, answering calls or having someone answer them, returning calls promptly, and leaving a message and contact info when I call on properties. These simple things have made me a lot of money. Why? Because no one else was doing it.

Remember, you may be the boss in your business, and you may have employees and vendors you can “boss” around, but the rest of the outside world is not your employees and they don’t owe you anything. Treat people with respect, and especially, treat customers with respect … they are the ones who pay you.

“Who’s the Boss?” You are – but that doesn’t mean you always have to act like one.

The following are some excerpts from a training I did on setting goals and achievement. I hope you find it useful.

Setting goals

Perhaps one of the most important things you will do to ensure your success is goal setting. Many people, however, fail to recognize the importance of setting goals and tend to pass it over as unimportant. But nothing could be more vital to your success than learning how to properly set goals.

One element that all successful people have in common is that they set specific goals and have devised a plan for achieving them. This means that they determine exactly what it is they want and know how they are going to get there.

Three Basic Types of Goals

1. Improvement goals: Things that we want to change or make better, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, or having better relationships.
2.  Achievement goals: Things that we want to accomplish, such as top salesperson, greatest golfer, or best teacher.
3.  Financial goals: Things that we want to acquire, like making a million dollars, being financially independent, owning cars, homes, etc.

Ask a majority of people about their goals, and they will typically give some vague, general answer.

If it’s an improvement goal, they may tell you that they want to lose weight. While they may be able to lose weight without a clearly defined goal, their chances of really succeeding long-term are slim until they specify how much weight they want to lose and devise a plan for how they are going to do it.

If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?

The Keys to Effectively Setting Goals

1. Be specific about your goal. State exactly what you want. Instead of just saying you want a new car, state “I will have a  2012 BMW 745i, white with tan leather interior, chrome wheels.”
2.  Set a date for reaching this goal. “I will have it by May 5, 2012.”
3.  Devise a plan for reaching the goal. “Through real estate investing, I will acquire at least two income-producing properties a month that will create a net cash flow of $300 per month each, and I will buy at least one property per month that I can fix-up and resell for at least a $15,000 profit.”
4.   Indicate where and with whom you will accomplish this goal. Who else will be involved and/or affected?

The Seven Keys to Goal Achievement

Once you have written down your goals and developed a clear idea of what you want, you still have to get there.

I have put together what I consider to be the seven keys to achieving your goals. They are the crucial elements from start, to implementation, and to achievement of your goals to make your goals a reality. I want to emphasize how important it is to put into action the information that I am giving you here. It is vital to your success. Please don’t take it lightly.

#1 Desire

It all starts with a dream, a desire to have or accomplish something. If you don’t want it, then why bother going after it?

#2 Belief

In order to accomplish or acquire something, you must possess the beliefs that it is achievable and worth pursuing. Reaching this goal must not conflict with your values, and no one will be harmed or adversely affected by it. You must possess the belief that you are capable of achieving it, and that you can learn whatever is necessary to accomplish it.

#3 Knowledge

You need to acquire the knowledge and information that you will need to accomplish or achieve whatever it is you are attempting. This means learning the “how-to” of what you want to do. You will also need to read about, listen to, and model someone who has already done what you wish to accomplish in order to learn the mental strategies that are necessary to accomplish this goal.

#4 Opportunity

The opportunity must exist for you to take action. Is this something that you can do now? If not, when? Are there external (or internal) factors that are getting in the way?

#5 Vision

In order to accomplish the goal, you must have a clear idea of what it is that you want, and create a compelling internal representation in your mind that you can “see” vividly. You can also use external pictures of your goal that you review daily. The better you can visualize your goal and its achievement, the better your chances of getting it.

#6 Planning

Devise a concise plan for the achievement of your goal setting long-term, short-term, as well as daily goals. Implement the use of a day-planner system to help you plan your time and to “track” your progress towards your achievement.

#7 Commitment

Stick to it, no matter what. You must be prepared to do “whatever it takes” (without hurting anyone) to accomplish your goal. Use vision and planning to create such a great picture of your goal that you fall in love with the thought of its accomplishment. Post the following statement up on your bathroom mirror and recite it to yourself every morning:

“I will not give up, no matter how many obstacles I encounter, or how much pain I endure. Because these things are nothing compared to my desire to succeed.”

What worked yesterday – does not necessarily work today.

If you are already an investor, you know this to be true.   Time and time again I will hear or read of an investor – particularly those that have only been in the business a few years or less – who is having tremendous difficulty adapting to the changes in the market.  How what they were doing last year, just isn’t working at all this year ….. and it’s having disastrous effects on their financial lives.

But the real core of the problem isn’t that things have changed so much ….. it’s that the investor hasn’t changed in relation to the market.

When the world changes, those that don’t change and adapt – die a slow financial death.  When I hear an investor complain about how the market has changed and how what used to work for them no longer does, I have to ask them, “What have you done to adapt?”  Often, they simply don’t know how to adapt.

To succeed long-term in a career as a real estate investor, you have to become creative and learn to adapt yourselves to the changes in the marketplace.  You cannot sit still, you have to constantly be seeking to improve yourself, and to build your entrepreneurial muscles. You need to be always thinking of what you can do that’s different, that no one else is doing.  I mastered this long ago.  I have always gone where others are not going.  I’ll share a secret with you.  “I hate competition”, it’s such a waste of time.  There is enough challenge with making millions of dollars in real estate investing, much less to complicate things more by competing with dozens of other investors over each deal that comes along.  When I see others going right … I go left.  I used to do nothing but pre-foreclosures, now, I rarely touch them because so many people are in that area.

With all of the seminars that come through town promoting the tremendous profits in the pre-foreclosure market, every one is pursuing them now and that segment of the market is over saturated.  So I learn where investors are not going and what they are not willing to do, and I go do it.   I have very little competition in my niche market.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge!” – Albert Einstein

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten!” – Henry Ford

(This quote is also known as the definition of insanity.)

“You cannot solve a problem, with the same level of thinking that created it!” - Albert Einstein

To succeed – to survive – to thrive – we have to put on our creative hats and come up with new and unique ideas and strategies on how to make money in this business.

The rules that apply to nature, apply to business – to survive, you have to adapt.  To thrive – you have to become a master at adaptation.

Happy Investing!

So, you think you want to become a real estate investor? Become your own boss? Set your own hours? Do what you want? Make more money than you could ever count? Live the good life… huh?

You see it everywhere, on TV, the infomercials, newspapers, magazines, the internet. “Get into real estate investing, and make a quick fortune. Expensive cars, homes, boats, planes…. all can be yours, and it’s so easy.”

Yeah! Right!

Let’s get real folks. Often what you see in the media, and what you experience in reality are two entirely different things – or are they? Let’s look at some key points regarding this dream-propelling vehicle called Real Estate Investing.

ANYONE CAN DO THIS!

Can anyone with the desire get into this business and make money? Sure, without question “Yes!” We all basically share the same neurology as human beings. So if one person can learn to do and accomplish something, then virtually anyone can. Some may need to gain a deeper knowledge of some things over another person, but it can be accomplished.

QUICK ROAD TO WEALTH.

Is Real Estate Investing the quick road to wealth and riches as you hear so much about? Well, yes and no, and you will get a myriad of opinions about how long it can take to make real money in this business. Anywhere from a couple of months, up to years. The reality is, that like anything, it depends on the drive and desire of the investor to be. Educate yourself in real estate investing, and put that knowledge into action. The greater the level of commitment, typically, proportionally the greater the level of success. I know of investors who made a little money from their endeavors starting out, and I know of many who (like me) made a lot of money pretty fast in this business. It has been my experience, along with countless others, that one can become financially independent in this business in under 2 years, and many times within 1 year. There are many veterans who do not share this view, and say that it is wreckless or careless to do it so fast. But it is not. It is done through careful analysis and investigation of the properties. Likewise, it is not merely my opinion that this is done, but rather my experience and that of others.

“I” CAN’T DO THIS… OR, THIS CAN’T BE DONE IN “MY” AREA.

One challenge that confronts the beginner, is they are often confronted with one frustration after another and give up before ever reaching any level of success. Real estate investing, like most other businesses, is a numbers business. Many beginners hear of others success in this business, and falsely assume that it came easy. The reality is, that there is often quite a bit of time and effort put into locating, that “right” deal. I am often amazed at the number of newbies who complain that they have put forth a gallant effort and called an astonishing 7 sellers and have determined that this business cannot be done. It takes more effort than this to make a go of this business. Call over 100 sellers, then start complaining a little – maybe. You cannot tell me that if you do not give up contacting sellers and checking out deals, that you will not find anything…. ever! Now if you aren’t getting anywhere after, let’s say 50 calls, then you need to seriously reconsider your strategy.

I find it difficult to believe that there are any areas out there where you cannot make money. I have been to many, and found deals where people told me they did not exist. I do however believe that there are investment strategies that will not work in every place at every time. If what you are doing isn’t working in your area, then change your approach and strategy.

Becoming a real estate investor can pretty much be whatever you choose to make of it. There are plenty of resources – web sites, discussion boards, as well as countless books and programs to get one started and further their education. You can choose to become a part-time investor, or go full-time. Work a few hours at it, or work 12+ hours a day. There will be paperwork that you will learn, not only for putting deals together, but also for record and bookkeeping. You will oft times become a jack-of-all- trades handling various aspects of this business. You can become investor, negotiator, manager, handyman, accountant, janitor, etc. But rest assured that more often than not, the money is quite good.

Going into a career as a real estate investor can be one of the wisest decisions you will ever make. It is a satisfying and rewarding profession, however like most, it takes some level of dedication and effort to succeed. This is not a get rich overnight with no effort sit at home on your couch type of business. But as you get rolling you will find that the effort you put into it versus the gains you receive from it are well worth it. Often people I meet ask me what kind of work I do, and it literally does not register with me. “Work?, Oh you mean that thing that I do that I love doing and get paid for it?”

Yeah! That’s it!

If you ask the majority of people, they will tell you that real estate is one of the best places to build wealth available today.  Everyone wants to own property, and with all the benefits – hard asset, equitable appreciation, demand – it will continue to be a great place to make money.

So if real estate is so great, then why do so many people struggle to succeed with it?  Well the answer is multi-faceted.

First, let’s take look at one of the major trends of the investing market.  In today’s market, the trend is towards the “Flip This House” type investing.  People are being inundated with fix and flip, and wholesaling type investing information which is geared towards the quick cash, “make money now” mentality.  It’s all about, get it, move it, make money, celebrate.  You find a property, then turn it quickly for a profit.

The challenge with this type of investing, is that you work, make money, then you have to go find your next deal to get paid again.  Meantime, in between deals, you are not making any money as you pay bills, buy food, buy stuff, and support your lifestyle.  If you don’t make money again soon, you will run out of money.  You are constantly chasing the Golden ring to get paid again.  YOU are working for your money.  This type of wealth-building, is “attainable”.  You are making money, but you are in a constant state of getting large peak influxes of money, then it is always going down while you hunt for your next deal.

The majority of investors strive to “get rich” and build up their wealth so they can retire and live the life they always dreamed of – traveling, possessions, freedom.  Buying and selling can build you large reserves of cash when done correctly and consistently, but unless you have a sufficient plan of what to do with the money, you will just be working, working, working to stay ahead.  Large cash reserves dwindle over time (just ask any of the 85% of lottery winners who get large sums of cash, only to blow through it and be left with absolutely nothing).

To build real wealth, that accumulates, grows, and allows you to have freedom and live the life of your dreams, it must be sustainable wealth.

Sustainable wealth is the type that grows over time, while at the same time pays you dividends at regular intervals (monthly, quarterly, etc).  YOU don’t work for your money, your money works FOR you.  This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, one of which being holding properties.  Buy-and-hold deals such as rental properties in which you can buy and fix the property – like the fix and flip – but instead of just selling the property, you refinance it to pull out your purchase and fix up capital (plus a little profit), then hold the property for monthly cash-flow (as long as it will produce a positive cash-flow).  This will get your investment capital moving again, plus put profit in your pocket AND give you a monthly income that grows with each property you buy.  You will also experience equity growth over time, and an increase in your income from rental increases.

This model is more sustainable as it sets you up to generate a monthly income that pays you forever.  When I first started investing back in 1990, I bought rentals and built up a 5-figure net monthly cash-flow in just my first 18-months in the business.

Flipping houses and wholesaling is a great way to make money, but to set yourself up for long-term financial wealth, you need to plan to incorporate both a mix of flipping houses, and holding houses.  This will give you influxes of large cash payouts from the flips you do, as well as creating long-term stable sustainable wealth from the deals you hold on to.

Making money is attainable in many formats … but keeping and growing your wealth takes a more sustainable model.  The Trump’s, Rockefeller’s, Carnegie’s, Hilton’s and countless other Billionaires of the World don’t just “flip” properties, they buy and hold properties for cash-flow and sustainable wealth.

That’s the real secret to creating a life of your Dreams!

In this episode, Todd interviews his very special guest Frank McKinney. Frank is known as the Maverick Daredevil Real Estate Artist and has created some of the most magnificent Estates ever seen. His latest creations – a $135 Million Masterpiece, along with the World’s first Mega-Mansion “Green” certified Estate. Frank is a devoted family man, author, and philanthropist, who has appeared on Oprah, 20/20, CBS’ The Early Show, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, as well as in over 1,500 additional TV and print features.

Who Are You?

That’s the Million-Dollar question. It’s actually a very basic question, but one not often so easily answered.

Many people search a lifetime to discover who they are, while others find themselves redefining themselves multiple times throughout their lives.

It seems such a simple thing, so why is it so difficult for many to find the answer? We hear time and time again, to just search our hearts and find our passions, then we will discover our life purpose and “find ourselves”. Yet, so many don’t.

The reason this happens, is two-fold; first, when we search our passions and what we really want to do, become, and achieve in life, we tend to let self-doubt creep in and rationalize away what it is we really want. Thoughts like “Oh, I could never do that.”, or “I’m not smart enough.” or some other relevant limiting belief comes up and crushes our hopes of every doing that. Few people take the time to allow themselves to dream big and just let their imagination run wild with the thought and figure out “how” they could do it. When’s the last time you allowed yourself to be like a kid again, where everything was possible, and you could figure out a way to accomplish whatever you wanted?

Now! …. what if you were to allow that to happen?

Second, many people look at discovering who they are – or their life purpose – as being a static thing. I see it as a fluid, ever changing, ever evolving event. Who we were when we were 10 … 16 … 23 … 32 … 48 … ? … is not necessarily who we are now. Things change. We change. (Colonel Harland Sanders didn’t start Kentucky Fried Chicken until the age of 65).

For some, they have a grand purpose that they discover early in life and continue through out all their days. Others, will find multiple purposes in their life, adjusting as they go along.

Where we often miss our true purpose, is that many times it is right in front of us, but we don’t see it. We think that a “life purpose” has to be some huge thing that changes the World, when often ones life purpose may be to touch someone’s life, even ever so briefly. Or it may be to bring a child into this World, who will make a difference. A teacher, nurse, janitor, priest, social worker, police officer, or parent. All have vital roles and many opportunities every day in which they touch lives.

Brief interactions, a simple statement, or a kind gesture that changed the course of someone’s life. It’s happening all around us if we just open our eyes – and our hearts – wider and notice them.

- A child’s life is turned to one of hope, instead of despair, because someone took 10 minutes to listen to them and offer a kind word.

- A man is encouraged to walk the path of righteousness rather than turn to a life of crime, by a kind strangers simple act.

- Someone eats today, because a stranger thought to drop off some food at the local Food Bank.

Simple acts – that we often dismiss – can make a profound difference. What simple act can you perform today that will make a difference in someone else’s life?

Who are you … Today?

Make It Happen!

Todd

Is the Law of Attraction real? Does it really work? Whether you believe in it or not, after you hear Todd’s take on the past years events, you will have to wonder if there is really something behind the Law of Attraction or not. Todd shares with you the many things that have been happening this year, and how they came about. Plus, you won’t want to miss out on Todd’s announcement of a very special guest that will be appearing on the next Millionaire Coaching™ Podcast. You’ve probably heard of him. Hint: He’s been on Oprah, and creates Real Estate Masterpieces.

Want to know the “Secrets” to Wealth?

Listen closely, what I’m about to tell you will change your life.

Are you listening?

Here is the number one secret to becoming wealthy ….

… there is no secret.

Did I have you hooked? Were you on the edge of your seat waiting to hear what the secret was? That what most sales-oriented programs and seminars will have you believe. That they have the secret to wealth, or the secret shortcut to making money in real estate, the “easy” way to wealth.

It’s what most people are looking for … the “easy” way. Truth is, there is no easy way. It takes a lot of hard work to become successful. But it’s definitely worth it.

I didn’t mean to tease you, but just wanted to show you much we get drawn into the “wanting to believe” that there is some secret to wealth, and if we only knew it, then things would be so easy. Sales people prey on that believe, and will use it against you to sell you some grossly over-priced program or seminar …. only to teach you what everyone else knows.

Keep your eyes open, keep your wits about you, and don’t fall for the seduction of some secret to wealth.

What is real, that you may refer to as a “secret”, are the habits, traits and actions of successful people that were responsible for them getting where they are. There is value in many programs and coaching programs, and that is in teaching you these traits and techniques. Experience is priceless. Learning from someone else’s experience and years of knowledge can be invaluable to your success and definitely shortcut the time it takes you to achieve wealth. Use it wisely.

Just don’t fall for someone telling you they have some “secret” that no one else has.

Happy Investing!

Todd

Being a real estate investor, isn’t without it’s challenges. As I was reminded of last night.

So, it’s 11:30pm, and I get a call from the Police that one of the properties has been broken into, and they need me to come to secure the property and give a statement.

Arrrggghhhh …. there goes the night. So I drive 30 minutes to the property, and find that some people kicked in the french doors and stole the stainless steel refrigerator and stove we had in there. They had also cut the ice maker water line to the refrigerator, and water was all over the floor throughout the house from the water running. What fun.

Well, fortunately, the police had a lead from a neighbor who got the license number of the truck they were using. The police caught them. Well, that was not the end of it. Because now they needed evidence and photos. But the police photographer was busy elsewhere, so we had to wait …. and wait …. and wait some more.

Finally, the police want me to go over to the residence where they think the appliances were to identify them. So I went along, and it was them. Then, they had a truck bring them back over to the property. Well, that was all they did, drop them off – in the driveway. So the officer and myself had to carry them by hand back into the property to secure them. More fun.

Then, we had to wait more for the police photographer to show up, and they had to collect evidence. Finally, about 5am, they showed up. 10 minutes, they were done. I ended up spending the entire evening there and got home about 5:30am. Good thing I don’t work a regular job.

So, did I let this upset me? No! It’s not worth my time. I discovered a long time ago, that it does no good to get upset over unimportant things. The event happened, and getting upset over it isn’t going to change the outcome. So I stayed calm, and focused on the solution. Problem solved.

One thing you can be sure of as a real estate investor, and that is to …. Expect the Unexpected!

Happy Investing!

Todd

Well here we are, another New Year! It’s 2008, and I’m sure many of you are making your plans and New Year’s Resolutions.

So what kind of year do you have planned?

Did you make the typical resolutions – lose weight, stop smoking, get healthy, make money? The standard vague, open-ended resolutions. Well, let me ask you. Did you just make a statement, or do you have a specific plan behind it?

Did you decide to lose weight, but don’t know how you are going to do it? What exactly will you do to stop smoking? “How” will you get healthy? Make money? Do you have a plan on how you will do that, or just hoping and dreaming?

A wish without a plan behind it, is just a dream. But when you take a dream and put a specific plan behind it, then you have a Goal! So get specific.

What, specifically will you do to achieve your goal?

What steps will you take – daily – to move yourself closer and closer to your goal?

When, will you accomplish this goal?

Who else will be involved, who will help/assist you and support you in achieving it?

Don’t let another resolution go unaccomplished, turn it into a specific goal, and take daily action towards achieving it. When you have a plan, and can monitor your progress, it will help you keep more motivated towards achieving it, and will let you know how you are doing, and when and where you need to make adjustments to keep yourself on track.

Set your goals, and achieve them … and let nothing stop you!

Here’s wishing you a Happy 2008!

Happy Investing!

Todd

The Holidays are a time of reflection. A time to stop and be grateful for the things that have happened, the things we have now, and the things that are to come in our lives. All too often we never take the time to appreciate the things we have, big or small. We get so wrapped up in our pressures and problems, wallowing in self-pity that consumes us and blinds us to the things we have that we take for granted.

When was the last time you told someone close to you that you loved them?

When did you last tell a parent sincerely how grateful you were to them for raising you and taking care of you?

Does that close friend of yours really know how you feel for all they have done for you and for sticking by you through good and bad?

Are you grateful for the little things you overlook? Your health? A roof over your head? Food on your table? Your children?

While you may or may not have all these things, there are things – no matter how basic – that you should be grateful for. Two legs, two good eyes, your hearing, being able to take in a breath and have life.

We often spend so much time worrying and whining about what we don’t have, that we never take the time to be grateful for all the things we do have that we take for granted.

You don’t have to be rich, or have grand things happen in your life to be grateful … look around you, and appreciate even the little things. Be grateful.

Happy Investing!

Todd

Every day things are changing around us, you just need to open your eyes and look for it.

Change is ……

A 17th Century Palace meets Modern World.
The trees changing with the seasons.
The look on a child’s face.
The Love you feel for your significant other.
Wisdom that grows with time.
The way you see beauty in nature you didn’t notice before.
Appreciating others happiness.
Going out of your way to help someone you didn’t before.
Letting go of negativity, and trying something new.

Every day so many things are changing around us, and within us. How you embrace that change, is up to you. You have a choice whether to appreciate things and be happy about them, or be negative and constantly complain about it.

If you want to truly change things in your life, you first must change from within. Change your attitude, change your opinions, change your beliefs. You don’t have to be a victim of things that “happen” to you, but rather you can be the change that creates new opportunities.

Unsuccessful people believe they are merely victims of things that happen to them in life.

Successful people believe that they direct what happens to them in life and create their success.

What changes in your life, if you made them now, would create a new and better outcome for you?

Make it happen.

Happy Investing!

Todd

The Holidays are upon us. With Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) just past, and Christmas/Hanukka/Kwanzaa coming up soon, it’s going to be a busy time for everyone.

The Holidays can be a distracting time for an entrepreneur, with all the family gatherings, all the preparations for the Holidays coming up, buying gifts, etc, it can certainly distract one from working on their dreams and goals. Not to mention, the fact that many people take trips during this time, and many businesses close down for long periods of time (even if they don’t close, the people who work there are so distracted with the Holidays, that not much gets done). This is especially true with business related to real estate investing … real estate agents, title companies, attorney’s offices, Government offices like the County Recorder’s and Tax Assessors Offices.

Essentially, in December, business slows down for real estate investors. It doesn’t come to a stop, just slows down considerably.

So how do we survive the Holiday Seasons? We adjust. One thing to keep in mind, is that sellers, are still eager to sell. Especially with the Holidays, when money is needed for gifts, heating, paying bills (credit cards especially). So you want to keep up with your deal locating regimen. The deals are still out there.

This is also a great time to redo your planning and goal setting, and to spend time educating yourself more. You see, when the Holidays are over, and all the festivities die down, and January comes …. that is the time to really kick things into gear. Everyone focuses on business again, and many people want to sell properties to raise cash from the Holiday financial drain.

So you don’t want to be idle during December, you want to plan, prepare, educate, and get ready to hit the ground running once January comes. Things will really pick up the first part of January, and you want to be ready.

I love when the beginning of the new year comes in January, it’s when things get really busy, and we all start making a lot of money.

I’m ready, are you?

Happy Investing!

Todd

It’s a much debated topic in Real Estate Investing – “Should I work with a Realtor, or not?” Does working with a Realtor add unnecessary cost to a deal with the commissions being paid, or does it help make the deals go smoother? In this episode, Todd will explore the pros and cons of working with a Realtor on your deals. How, and when, you should include them, and what benefits they really add. As well as the Realtors background and views on Investors. Want to add a Realtor to your Real Estate Investment team? Todd will fill you in on the facts.

That’s me with the Construction crew owner on one of the rehab projects.

You hear it so often, “To succeed, you have to surround yourself with the right people!”. This can include many things. Friends, mentors, support team, accountants, attorneys, agents, construction people, and so on.

Finding and working with the right people can make all the difference. But it’s not always easy to find them, and often, over time your team will change. Some people are good for a while, then they lose momentum. So you have to always be on the lookout for people who will help you get where you want to go.

I’m a highly motivated individual, with ever growing goals and aspirations. So it can be a challenge to find people who are as passionate and motivated to work with. I know what is possible and what I want to achieve, but not everyone shares that passion.

As long as you know where you are going, and continue on that path with unfailing determination, you will reach your goals. Start building your team. It can be friends who support you, work people to help with improving your properties, other investors, anyone that supports you and can help you get where you want to go. Find people that will motivate you, and keep you moving in the direction of your dreams . . .

. . . and never, never, never ever give up!

Happy Investing!

Todd

That’s me, in Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, Japan, the busiest pedestrian crossing in the World. I’ve heard reports that more than a Million people per day cross at this intersection. It was featured in the movies “Lost in Translation”, and “Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”.

Shibuya is known as one of the fashion districts for many Japanese youth, and has an active night life. Shibuya, presents many opportunities and a multitude of choices.

You have many opportunities and choices in your life as well. You make choices every day on what you wear, what you eat, where you go, what work you do ….. and what kind of income we have.

What??? We make a choice on what kind of income we have? Are you crazy? Well, perhaps, but if I’m crazy for doing what I do and making the kind of income that I make, then I don’t want to become sane. LOL!!!

We all have so many choices that we don’t realize. Opporunities exist that are available to virtually everyone that can make us more money. What stops us, is the lack of belief that it’s possible. Many people believe “it takes money to make money”, “you have to be smart to succeed”, “you have to be ‘lucky’ to succeed and make money”. All of which is totally false.

If you want something bad enough, then you will find a way to make it possible. I have seen so many people who had nothing and no money, succeed beyond their wildest dreams – because they wanted it, and didn’t let anything stop them.

So what’s stopping you?

Happy Investing!

Todd