What is Holding You Back?
Today I’m covering a topic that I hear from everyone all over the country. These are the various roadblocks that stand between people searching for a better way than their 9-5 jobs and the reality of that dream. No one knows this better than me; I’ve experienced every single excuse and reason imaginable:
- My job takes up all of my time.
I worked seven days a week as a pipe fitter when my kids were young, and after every work day I barely had the energy to come home, eat, and collapse in my bed. My kids also had extracurricular activities and family functions I had to attend and didn’t really want to miss. However, many people who want to become investors use this as an excuse.
- I’m terrified of talking to sellers.
It’s hard to believe now but when I began, I had no idea what to do or say to every seller I contacted. Every conversation felt like “do or die” for me, with the pressure of supporting my family.
- I have terrible credit.
Even though I had children and a wife to feed, I was often laid off and between jobs during my first years in real estate investing. I made ends meet with unemployment checks and part-time work until I could find another full-time job. You can image this did not create an outstanding credit score.
- I don’t have the money for a down payment!
A big hurdle for me when I began was the false mindset that you can’t start investing in real estate if you don’t have any money. It was unbelievable to me that sellers would offer seller financing terms and happily take payments instead of a lump sum of cash.
- I don’t have any formal training on how to invest.
My first 16 years in the field, I went into each deal with no knowledge under my belt. I call this the “trial and terror” method; it was scary but I kept going. Eventually I got education and learned more than my one way of investing, pushing me to be more than a “one-trick pony”. Getting education is key and will unlock your potential, and now you can get it relatively inexpensively to get you going.
To take advantage of our new Cashflow Blueprint course, visit us at LarryHarbolt.com and click on the course on my front page.
Happy investing!
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