Ep. #23 - Do You Have The Right: Mindset; Attitude; Vision; Passion?

If you've not already done so, go to andlandlord.com/books - and even if you've already, go there again! I've read each and every one of the books on this page, most of them multiple times - and just note that whenever I say read, I most often mean listen. I love Audio Books - listening mostly while driving. I've "read" more books since starting with Real Estate Investing 4 years ago in 2015 than I had in the prior 40 some years of my life.

A Quote from Jim Rohn – “Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.”

----------

Intro...

Welcome to Episode #23 - Do You Have The Right: Mindset; Attitude; Vision; Passion?

And so how does this relate to reading books?

More than anything else, reading all these books at andlandlord.com/books has served to change my MINDSET (how I look at things, people, the world). They've changed my ATTITUDE, which is how I let the things around me, things said to me, things that happen to me - affect my thoughts and feelings. They've changed my VISION, which is what I see for my future and how I see myself achieving my goals - even what those goals are. And they've served to focus my PASSION - making me a better Husband and Father (more successful as a man and person in general), as I'm now fully engaged for and towards those things I care most about. With the freedom to pursue my dreams without regrets or fear of judgement.

So do you read books like these? You should, as I was just treading water (so to speak) before I started reading books. I really thought it would be a waste of time, especially for the so-called "Self Help" variety of books - yet now I like those best! There is really some amazing, life changing content available on the page at: andlandlord.com/books.

Each of these affected me in some specific way, some more profoundly than others, and some not until I had read them for a second or third time. But it's my experience that you cannot just pickup a good book (or even a great book) and take from it some profound life changing lesson, unless you're actively seeking that exact information at the time it comes to you.

----------

I've met people at various networking events and heard from individuals on various podcasts - who each reported to have had their life changed by reading the book Rich Dad Poor Dad. More Real Estate Investors state that book as their eye opening moment that lead them into Real Estate Investing than any other (myself as well). But I've also met and heard from many people who've read that book and took NOTHING from it - and have actually hated it, and wondered why so many people recommend such a poorly written book.

How can two people read the same book and one person have their life forever changed, change how they view money and debt, change their career - and the other person is completely unaffected by the read and consider it to have been a waste of time? From what I can see, the first person is hungry and searching for something specific. They have the question, they almost even have the answer - but they just need help putting the pieces together into a clear thought and course of action. And then along comes the perfect book (for them at that time), which puts words to their existing thoughts and paints a clear picture for them of the answer.

Whereas the other person has no question in mind and therefore certainly has no answer in works. There is nothing for the book to aid with, as that person is not in a place where the book's information can fill in the gaps - there's nothing there on the subject to create gaps, so there's nothing to fill. And hence they think its the worse book they've ever read, and are likely frustrated by having taken nothing from a book that reports to change lives for countless others. I'd be angry at that also, and human nature is then to resent the book and those who recommended it - as certainly there's no fault or blame to be placed with you... Right?

----------

Mindset... It all stems from your Mindset. How and what you think will limit what you can and will become throughout your life. If you were a tree, your mindset is your roots - what everything else depends upon for growth. If you have a limited mindset, you will have limited (if any) growth. Whereas if you have an abundance mindset, pretty much nothing is long outside of your reach - and for that type of person, the only thing worse than setting low goals is no goals.

The book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker really expanded my mindset by introducing the idea of programming. That we as humans and individuals can be programmed to think a certain way; see things a certain way and be limited in both our expectations and outcomes - by our childhood experiences and the example of our parents and those around us. Another book along this same line of thought was Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. These lead to me seeing some of my own mindset programming experiences and influences - and learning that children often fail to (or only slightly) exceed the level of success of their parents.

For example, my father was a Black Man who earned 6 figures as a Truck Driver and bought a $100,000 house (along with my mother) in what was an all-white neighborhood across from a lake and a golf course - at a time (in the late 70's) when most Black people were lucky to be earning in the low 5 figures; and certainly weren't buying houses in such locations (even at 1/4th the cost). I didn't realize it until much later, but I was programmed by this experience. Once I had reached an income of 6 figures and bought an equivalent house (by age 30), I hit a self-imposed ceiling and struggled for many years to reach another level beyond what my mindset programming would allow. Now after learning of this association and changing some of my thoughts and related actions - I again began to excel.

I actually came across much of the information on Real Estate Investing that I use now to great success back when I was something like 24. I bought a course from Carlton Sheets after watching a late night infomercial. When it arrived, I read the first few chapters, at which point my mindset at the time told me that this stuff (I used a different S word) would never work (at least not for ME). I set it aside and have no idea what eventually became of it. And then going on 20 years later, I started using Internet modernized version of the same techniques to acquire Rental Real Estate with NO & LOW MONEY DOWN.

It works fine for the person with the mindset I have now... The mindset I had back then wouldn't even allow me to try. Your limited mindset can hold you back from greater success for decades - if you let it.

----------

And once you start working on your Mindset, you'll find that your Attitude changes about nearly everything. Your Attitude is critical to how you're affected by and react to things that happen to and around you. We all know of negative and positive attitudes... Pessimist / Optimist. Glass Half-Full / Glass Half-Empty.

The books, How to Win Friends & Influence People; as well as Extreme Ownership - both had a profound affect on my attitude on just about everything. With the insight gained from reading these books, when conflicts arouse (and often before), I'd be triggered to think about the matter from the other person's prospective. That if I were in their shoes, with their experiences, upbringing, influences, mindset, and on... I'd likely feel or do exactly as they do on whatever matter of potential conflict is present (or about to be). Imagine how much easier it is to prevent or resolve a conflict if you truly attempt to see the matter from the other side (as long as the person isn't crazy, drugged or delusional).

It makes any conflict easier to manage. One of the bigger conflicts of the day... You hate Trump, but can you also see why a person wouldn't want Hillary as president - having nothing to do with sexism or racism? I can... And if you put a small amount of effort into seeing the matter from the other side, so could you. That doesn't mean the other side is right, but it also doesn't automatically make them evil or racist. Now that could be the reason, or not - but assuming the negative speaks to an attitude bias on your part, that I've learned to limit (not eliminate, but limit)

And Extreme Ownership is an amazing attitude to adopt, in that everything that is even partially within your power - is your responsibility. Something didn't go right... It's your fault. A task wasn't completed by someone as you directed... You must have provided inaccurate or incomplete directions? You dislike your boss or co-working... Maybe you've not endeavored adequately to get to know there good qualities. I could go on and on stating examples of how the fault lies with yourself - but imagine how much of a conflict avoiding and conflict resolving Ninja you'll become if you both look to see things from the other person's prospective and seek to place burden / blame and the need for a solution onto yourself.

Wouldn't people be attracted to someone with such an attitude about things? You'd have no end of friends, dates, job offers, promotions, raises, business opportunities, and on.. If you can successfully pull off that attitude shift. Easier said than done - and practice won't make perfect... But you will get better! And in this regard, better is miles ahead of almost everyone else.

----------

Vision... Have you any? Can you put together a plan and follow it to a destination - successfully? If you encounter obstacles along the way, can you re-route and get back on track? Or do you need GPS (a plan provided by someone else) to get anywhere? Can you see what is not yet present and make it a reality through efficient execution of a plan?

Like I mentioned in last week's Episode #22 (What's Your Why?) - I'm only just now realizing goals that I put into place over 20 years earlier. And my WHY was big enough and my Vision clear enough to see me through every unexpected thing that happened along the way.

Your Vision is an exercise in planning, goal setting, time management and execution. Books like The One Thing and The 4-Hour Work Week can aid greatly here. Also The E-Myth.

----------

Passion... Here most people think sex, food or maybe sports (their favorite team) - as things they have a passion for or are passionate about. But imagine how much of a blessing you can be to those you know and love or your favorite charity or organization - if you were passionate about being an aid to others. I started this podcast in part because I want to aid others in doing what I'm doing - especially those who think they can't.

What do you have a passion for? Mine is to be successful, but I came to understand from reading books (some of which I've already mentioned) - that this word (successful) is actually a way for me to avoid saying what I really mean... I WANT TO BE RICH!

But my upbringing, religious beliefs and society - would have me to believe that this is a wrong desire. "Money is the root of all evil"; "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." - Wow really!? I know a camel can't go through the eye of a needle, so that leads to the unavoidable conclusion that a rich person can't enter the Kingdom of God - Right? But wait, some of the most beloved Biblical figures (who certainly had God's favor) were VERY rich - so it can't be that cut and dry.

My passion is to be rich - but why? Because as a rich person, I can be so much more of an aid to those I know and love - and to everyone for that matter. Is anyone benefited by my being poor? Of course not, but I was hampered in my "success" for a decade because I was ashamed of my true passion to be rich, which you could also be stated as financial freedom - but that's just another "success" word substitute for what you really mean - Rich / Wealthy.

But books like The Richest Man In Babylon and the Rich Dad series of books aided me to a clearer understanding - that I was born for a better purpose than to become a lessor version of what I'm capable - because I'm fearful of judgement as to my motivation. No more... I want to be RICH. I want to be $10,000,000 RICH. And after reading The 10X Rule, by Grant Cardone, I want to be $100,000,000 RICH. And I will be! How about you?

----------