A Different Life

What Sports Say About You

2006-10-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

I never saw the parallel until I read it from Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump's book "Why We Want You To Be Rich". Sports give us a general reflection of the way we treat our life. Bowling has long been my sport of choice though I have gone in and out of it quite frequently. In 1996 I worked at a bowling alley, bowled in five leagues, and stayed after work every night to work on my game. At that time, a 220 average was a little more difficult that it is to achieve today. I did achieve it and excelled. My approach was incredibly focused, some would say somber. I voided everything out, barely talked to anyone and kept my mind straight on the game.

After 1996, I left bowling in pursuit of a woman. Oh, the young and in love days of the twenty one year old. I stopped bowling and poured myself into that relationship until it ended with a lot of values conflicts. In 2004 I returned to the bowling scene, at first, to simply be a substitute for my father's team. Bowling has always been in the family from day one, whether I chose to follow it or not. This time, I did things a little differently. While still being focused, blocking everyone and everything out, I prepared for my game differently. I arrived early, warmed up, prayed, and walked the floors of the lane I was bowling. I read something about Larry Bird doing that long before a game would start, he wanted to feel the floor. I wanted to feel the same thing. While only in one league in the 2004-2005 season, in March of 2005 I hit back to back 300s in successive weeks. The most remarkable part of it was that my father was there to see it.......both of them.

It was the first time I truly felt worthy of my father's praise. My father has always loved me and never stopped showing it. In my own head, I always felt that I had to be or do something though to be worthy of that love. I have outlandishly high standards and it is a blessing as well as a fault. I was holding back tears when he hugged me, I wanted to show him his son could succeed and I wanted him to be proud of me. Truth is, even through all my failures he has. I just refused to see it.

No one in my family has ever hit 300 sanctioned, much less in back to back weeks. I went on over the next year to hit a total of five 300s in different houses. I chose my ground carefully, picking out houses where 300s were uncommon. One did not have a 300 bowled in years. There I came within one frame of sealing the deal with a 289. I did hit the highest series there in many years though, 782. The male ego was somewhat satisfied. My average through all five was 218 with the lowest being 205 and the highest just over 220. I was either at the top or near of the top of every league I bowled in. I watched the averages week to week. If winning didn't matter, then why keep score? I wanted to be the best.

What no one saw much of though, was the preparation. Even less of what they saw was my stubborness. I spent a lot of time thinking bowling, practicing swings and forms in my room, basement, and office. I read about bowling, watched the pros, and I used music as well as silence and also my imagination, seeing that 300 before it ever happened.

The 2005-2006 season I was in five leagues and running the gamut. I wanted to qualify for the PBA card. The standard had been lowered to qualify but I wanted to hit the higher standard, my standard for qualifying. Unfortunetly, about three quarters of the way through the season I experienced the other side of my persistence and determination, a quality fondly known as stubborness. Seeing it now, my equipment was fitted improperly. I often bled, felt sharp pains in my fingers and my wrist, was prone to headaches, and I lost weight (I'm a small guy to begin with, I don't have much to lose). My game suffered, my personal life suffered, and my business suffered. The ironic part is that my style lends nothing to the style of a cranker (those guys with the fast balls, big hooks, and lots of rotation). My style is very deliberate, smooth, and evenly paced. Still, even without the pressure of a demanding style I failed to recognize or acknowledge the fact that my game needed adjusting. As a result....

I'm not bowling competitvely this year and when I picked up a ball for the first time since May recently, all of those problems were immediately revived. It was like they never left. I endured through them thinking it was the price of success, the overcoming of injury. Take the pain, be a man. The male ego at work. I see the same thing in my personal and business life. The difficulty in knowing when to change course, when to tweak, and when to gut it through. The guy in me wants to gut it through everything......I mean, c'mon I'm a guy. That is what we do!!! The sensible side of me knows that pursuing alternate routes to the same outcome is not quitting, merely changing tactics. That is why it is so important to know your outcome ahead of time, else it will look like quitting and the male ego will lead you to more unnecessary pain.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessings and gifts you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth, abundance, and life.

The Blessing In Struggle

2006-10-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

When I went homeless the first time and lived out of my truck, I had left an environment that demanded handouts. That environment was the Ford Motor Compnay in Brookpark (though you could say this to the whole UAW). I fought for a time against the ridiculous demands of the Union and well as the company, both could have cared less about the future of the line workers. Then, after battling for over a year I finally realized in a late night incident with management, union, and a line worker they represented, they didn't want the help. The fear was toooo great of losing. Backstabbed, I would never return. I've been called a fool, a little bitch, motherf*cker, racist, and ton of other things that have simply fallen off my back then and since.

My financial decline then only brought about more internal battles and later spiritual strength. Despite the urgings of many people, I refused to accept any government assistance. Welfare, Section 8, Food Stamps, none of that was an option. I would rather starve and well, at times I did. I did eventually seek shelter at home until I could get back on my feet and prepare myself for the journey ahead. Armed with only a real estate license, I've scratched and clawed my way to small victory's ever since. Something that took awhile to get a hold of was the lesson that you "Eat the elephant one bite at a time."

I bring this up not just because of the predicament I am in now, facing some similar challenges again but because I've read something that I've felt many times but could have never said it as beautifully as it was said in Trump and Kiyosaki's new book "Why We Want You To Be Rich : Two Men * One Message".

Paraphrasing, they talk about our society being an entitlement society. Everything from the poor demaning their welfare checks, their Social Security (and I have seen people on SS that have no business being on it), their food stamps, their housing, etc. Big corporations are guilty of it, too. That is GM, the bankrupt Airline industry, and many other conglomerates that are constantly being bailed out by an already red lining government. Those who take responsibility for their own lives are in our society but it seems we are outnumbered.

This is what irks me the most but at the same time, I consider it a blessing. Those who called me a fool years ago at Ford are facing tougher decisions now with the impending problems this company is having to face. Myself, I'm blessed to be able to have the ability to create, make a living, and survive without having to rely on a weekly paycheck subsidized by the government (that means even if you work for those bankrupt companies and unions living off of government dollars).

Tough times or not, we all will face problems. Financial issues are for everyone, including the very rich as they will tell you in this book. If you have not read it yet, I strongly urge you to get this book. Financial literacy is a must in this ever changing world and the promises our government and government subsidized industries created they cannot keep.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessings and gifts you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth, abundance, and life.

How I Feel

2006-10-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

Today, this cat and I, we feel the same. That is all I gotta' say.

To Die For......

2006-10-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

The past month brought a slew of challenges. Some that came so fast that it was hard to recognize where they were coming from. It was even harder to recognize who, if any, amongst your allies was truly your ally. The past month I was met with the sobering fact that my house must go. After going through money being stolen and being followed up with shoddy, if any, repair work by the second man, something had to give. We never truly recovered from the first hit.

Perhaps the most tradgic side of it all is not the temporary defeat that I face now, I will come back from this. Credit can be repaired. Financial fortresses can be rebuilt. New seeds can be sown for a stronger future. The most tradgic though is that somehow; through these events that have unfolded, I've lost my ability to create and stir excitement about the future. The activities of the day become more and more machine like. I don't breathe as much, my mouth is more tight lipped. I harbor more vengeance inside, longing for the day when I come from a position of strength upon those who kick me when the times turn sour. My prayers are at times angry and other times emotionless.

My light in my life remains that precious lady that I will marry in less than two months, even though that has been threatened by unexpected challenges. Passport, No Objection Letters, and other things that are even hindering the reservation of the church and reception hall. Had I only known, this all would have been handled sooner. Due to restrictions from her country, we are unable to go to our first choice on our honeymoon, Rome, Italy. Prayers are consistently getting harder, though we persist despite everything thrown at us. The day will come and we will have our dreams come true or I will die fighting for it..........

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessings and gifts you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth, abundance, and life.

Love is the Finest Medication

2006-08-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

Admit that love is the finest medication for your body and your soul. Love changes the entire chemistry of your body and conditions it for the expression of a positive mental attitude. It also extends the space you occupy in the hearts of others. The best way to recieve love is to give it.

From Napoleon Hill's "Keys to Success". Those of us who have experienced incredibly loving relationships with our parents, siblings, spouses, children, or Creator can attest to the truth of this very statement. Love takes the weak man and makes him strong. It takes the cowardly one and manifests bravery and courage within him. With love all things are possible.

Perhaps the most difficult part of loving is giving that amongst those who dislike you, hate you, or attempt to discourage you at every turn. Not perfect by any means, I do my best to forgive them even though I feel they wronged me. God is a wonderful soother of such pains and I am at my best in life when I am communicating these prayers to him. When I harbor bitterness as I sometimes catch myself doing, it hurts. Prayer is my release and love is my answer.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessings and gifts you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth, abundance, and life.

Controlling the Mind

2006-08-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

This morning's reading comes from Napoleon Hill's "Keys to Success".

Occupy your mind with doing what you want to do so that no time will be left for it to stray to things you do no want to do. Attune your mind to attract the things and situations you desire by expressing in a daily prayer your gratitude for what you already have.

An idle brooding mind can be lots of trouble. Always keep on the things you want and fill it with the messages that you will enable you and not paralyze you. Make a conscious effort to do this everyway and remember always your prayers. Focus on what you want and what you wish to give, not on the things that will hamper you or bring you down.

Dear Lord, thank you for the blessings and gifts that you have given us. Continue to show us your mercy and deliver us into wealth life and abundance.

Loyalty To Their Wives'

2006-08-22T05:23:00.000-07:00

Bet you didn't know this about Charles Schwab. From Napoleon Hill's "The Master Key to Riches" :

Charles M. Schwab's story was different. He too gained fame and fortune through his Master Mind alliance with Andrew Carnegie, aided by a similar relationship with his wife, who was an invalid during the major portion of their married life. He did not put her away on that account, but stood loyally by her until her death, because he believed that loyalty is the first requirement of sound character.

Interesting to note in this book how Mr. Hill emphasizes the most important relationship one can and should have is the relationship of the husband and wife. Carnegie, Edison, and Wanamaker all credit their wives with the inspirations in achieving their fortunes. He also gives a prime example of what happens to those who forget their wives after the attainment of their goals. Napoleon after he left Josephine shortly thereafter met his exile to St. Helena.

Personally, I cannot wait for my princess to finally be here. I just feel there is sooo much that she could add to my life in thousands upon thousands of ways. Having her here instead of the simple emails and phone calls, though they are and have been very important, can make such a profound difference. The synergy that I am searching for with someone close to me who holds a strong of spiritual beliefs that I do is also lacking, until she is here. I have no doubt that us as a team is much more powerful and stronger than us apart.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessings and gifts you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth, abundance, and life.

Victory Over The Stress-Ache

2006-08-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with a nice headache. It wasn't front and center but close enough for me to realize that this was a result of stress. In the past these things have been so bad that I literally had to work in the dark because light would (especially fluorescents) cause me all kinds of pain. Despite the obvious hurt I kept myself in a rather cheerful mood. A little after the 12 o'clock hour it got intense and I made quick trip to the pharmacy to grab some pain relievers and then holed myself up in my office since I wasn't going to be productive on the road today.

Instead, I created my own BPO (Broker's Price Opinion) forms for private investors which are nice and give a good in-depth look at the current market. It'll also be helpful for private sellers as I give a detailed breakdown of sales, price per sq. ft., how to figure an approx. value of garages, additions, etc. I took a good look at the companies I work for and their forms, added some creative juices and voila....even with a headache I can be productive!!!!!

Towards evening and a few Advil later the pain was subsiding. I was listening to Brian Tracy's 21 Secrets of Sales Superstars in my truck and the little light bulb went on in my head. Brian said something that I must've heard a thousand times in different contexts but didn't click. To summarize:

".....you become what you think about most of the time.......and do you know what the top salespeople think about most of the time? They think about what they want and how to get it.......and these people sell on average five and ten and fifteen times more than those who think about their problems most of the time....."

Controlling our minds. Difficult? For me it is a challenge because I've been in the habit of such negative dialogue for such an extended period of time and a lot of time I'll catch my mind going into neutral. What I have done to combat it is plant the seeds of optimism over my current belief system. I'm filling my mind with new messages in my CD Player, through my external dialogue, reading, and also recieving an unmeasurable and priceless amount of support from my bride-to-be.

Some materials that I am very fond of are in my profile but here is a small list for you to decide for yourself in battling your internal dialogue:

Brian Tracy
Anthony Robbins
Wayne Dyer
Napoleon Hill
Leo Buscaglia
Stephen Covey

If you can think of more put them in the comments. I'm always up for a good read and it is my sincere hope that these will help you as well. In closing:

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessings and gifts you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth, abundance, and life.

Ready For The Day

2006-08-21T05:50:00.000-07:00

Woo! Hoo! Time to take on the day again....but first

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessings and gifts you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth, abundance, and life.

Confronting Fear (Part I)

2006-08-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

The photo comes from the Total Rocky website. For everything on the Rocky movies, go there.

The scene from the movie is one of my favorites and it is all about stepping up and confronting fear. Rocky's challenges in principle often times parallel our own. Afraid to lose what we got, so we don't risk anything. Afraid of the criticism, so we don't risk anything. You don't have to lose your arms or your legs to be paralyzed, you only need to live in fear. Below is the transcript from the scene in the movie. Granted, you really need to see the movie to really get it's full effect but the words are still powerful. Talia's performance in this scene is beyond excellent and Stallone is well, the Stallone we all know and love.

Adrian: Can I talk to you? I wanna ask you something important, and I want you to tell me the truth.

Rocky: What?

Adrian: Why'd you come here?

Rocky: I just don't want it no more.

Adrian: If it's over cos you want it to be, I'm glad.

Rocky: I do.

Adrian: It's just, you've never quit anything since I've known you.

Rocky: I don't know what you want me to say. I mean, what happened? How did everything that was so good get so bad?

Adrian: What's so bad? Tell me. What?

Rocky: I wrecked everything by not thinking for myself. Why couldn't Mickey tell me where it was really at from the start? He didn't have to carry me and lie and make me think I was better than I was.

Adrian: He never lied.

Rocky: Those fights weren't right. I never fought anybody in their prime. There was always some angle to keep the title longer than I shoulda had it. Do you understand?

Adrian: You've gotta understand, he loved you! That was his job, protecting you.

Rocky: Protectin' don't help nothin'. It makes things worse. You wake up one day thinking you're a winner, but you're not. You're a loser.

Adrian: So we wouldn't have had the title as long. So what?

Rocky: At least it would have been real.

Adrian: It was real!

Rocky: Nothing is real if you don't believe in who you are. I don't believe in myself no more! When a fighter don't believe, he's finished. That's it.

Adrian: That's not it. Why don't you tell me the truth?

Rocky: What are you puttin' me through? You wanna know the truth? I don't wanna lose what I got. At first, I didn't care about what happened. I'd go in the ring, get bust up. But now there's you and the kid. I don't wanna lose what I got!

Adrian: What do we have that can't be replaced? What? A house. We got cars, money. We got everything but the truth. What's the truth, dammit?!

Rocky: I'm afraid! All right? You wanna hear me say it? You wanna break me down? I'm afraid. For the first time, I'm afraid.

Adrian: I'm afraid too. There's nothin' wrong with that.

Rocky: There is. For me, there is.

Adrian: Why? You're human.

Rocky: I don't know what I am. I know I'm a liar, and because of that, Mickey ain't here.

Adrian: You didn't push him into anything. He was a grown man. He did what he had to do. And you have no right to feel guilty. You don't! You were a champion. You did what you were expected to do. You did what everybody thought you should do. And you wanna tell me that those fights weren't real? I don't believe it! It doesn't matter what I believe. You've got to carry that fear inside you, afraid everybody'll take things away, that you'll be remembered as a coward, that you're not a man any more. Well, none of it's true. It doesn't matter if I tell you because you're the one that's got to settle it. Get rid of it! Cos when the smoke clears, and they stop chanting your name, it's just gonna be us. And you can't live like this. We can't live like this. Cos it's gonna bother you for the rest of your life. Look what it's doing to you now. Apollo thinks you can do it. So do l. But you gotta wanna do it for the right reasons. Not for the guilt over Mickey. Not for the people, not for the title, not for money, or me - but for you. Just you. Just you alone.

Rocky: And if I lose?

Adrian: Then you lose. But at least you lose with no excuses. No fear. And I know you could live with that.

Rocky: How'd you get so tough?

Adrian: I live with a fighter.

Rocky: I really love you.

Adrian: I love you.

And we'll close out today with a prayer.....

Dear Lord, Thank you for all the blessings and gifts that you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth , abundance, and life.

After The Storm (Instrumental)

2006-08-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

I wrote this remarkable instrumental in December of 1998. I say remarkable because to this day I still think it is one of the best compositions I ever wrote. Before MP3.com's original crew went under and the site was sold, (I feel) it belonged more to the artists and this piece made it all the way to number 3 in the New Age charts. It also did well on TraxInSpace.com before that site went under. I recieved an invitation to be on a compilaiton CD from a record company I never heard of (and honestly cannot remember the name anymore. I have the old email printed and contact info. someplace) and denied it for fear of it being stolen. Opportunity missed......"After The Storm" came under inspiration during one of the more troubling spots of my life and it serves as a reminder to me in the present with the challenges I face now. These, too, shall pass.

The picture up top is from my Legacy CD. The photo is from December of 1998 and I added the prose later. At one point I decided I needed to put every single piece of music, artwork, journal pieces, mix sets, prose, and poetry together into one big compilation that spanned close to ten years. I did this shortly before I left for Africa the first time because I realized that nobody would be able to put all of those pieces together as scattered as I was with my creations. My biggest and perhaps most vain fear in life actually happens after death, I'm afraid of being forgotten. Legacy was spurned to preserve my memory for my family, close friends, and acquaintances.

Since then more has been written, photographed, and designed. Even now I'm working on a musical piece for the wedding day (I've developed a perfectionist attitude in the last year or so on this stuff....) and I must've rewritten it, changed it, started over, gone back, then deleted it for good, at least ten times. I'm soooo bad!!!

Anyway, below is a link to "After The Storm" for your listening enjoyment. Even now, I would appreciate any feedback you could give me on this piece....good or bad. Please, leave a comment or two. Thank you!

Matthew P. Klein - After The Storm

Being Thankful and Shit.....Seriously

2006-08-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

Almost one week ago now this strange incident happened to me and it happened in the place I least expected it.....isn't that what makes life interesting though? Having to complete an interior inspection of an REO in Elyria I joyfully travelled the next town to see the cute little house on a dead end street overlooking the Black River. After snapping photos of the outside front and inside I head to the back deck. It's a two level deck, nicely done I might add. So I'm snapping photos of the deck and the view when I catch this ghastly odor and I recognized it immediately. It was someone or something's poop (or shit if you wish me to me more descriptive). I looked down to see if I had stepped in it. Nope. I moved cautiously looking and making the turn by the stairs, next to the door I noticed a blue tote. It was slightly opened, just enough that I could catch a view of what it was. I was right, it was shit and it was human. The tote was full of it. I still get a little queezy thinking about it and writing it. The photo was taken from inside the house as to give you the idea without giving you the actual picture.

On another note, my bride-to-be and I modified our prayer and here it is.....

Dear Lord, Thank you for all the blessings and gifts that you have bestowed upon us. Continue to show us your mercy and bring us into wealth , abundance, and life.

We removed the poverty and scarcity from the prayer. We choose not to even acknowledge it in our words to God as we choose to no longer acknowledge it in our everyday lives. Gratitude is where abundance lies.....and yes, I'm even thankful that I had that shitty episode. Really. Honest!!!!!

The Prayer

2006-08-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

There is a prayer I began a few years ago and one which is only months from being trans-formed from mere thought and words into a full blown reality. From the first day that I met my bride-to-be I knew that she was going to be my wife. She thought I was crazy (as you probably can imagine) but here we are years later and we are just months away from saying our vows. Under moonlight and a clear sky with nothing but the a cool lake breeze and God I revealed my intentions to my Creator. The prayer is as follows:

"Dear Lord, with you as my witness I willfully stake my very existence on reaching, cherishing, and protecting the gift you haven given me in (my princess's name)."

I'm not sure if she would be embarassed or not if I put her name on here and I've not asked for permission so I will leave it out. That prayer has been repeated tirelessly and will continue even after our marriage to be repeated to my God who has blessed me with this most incredibly lady.

Now the time has come for a new prayer and one that will transform me from the status quo to the levels of life that I desire to take her to......

"Dear Lord, deliver me from the poverty and scarcity that has corrupted my mind and bring me into the world of wealth, abundance, and life."

The picture comes from Boyne Mountian in Michigan where my family spent last Thanksgiving. I climbed that sucker twice during the snow storms that smacked us over our stay. Just like conquering the obstacles of my own life, I wanted to demonstrate to myself that there is no end but victory and I should accept nothing less. Even when you can't see your path, even when the road is lonely, even when road is steep, even when it would be easier to sit on your couch and think.....

You Ain't Got The Balls......

2006-08-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

.....to be a millionaire. So says my mentor who reemed me a new one only two days ago. I see him once, maybe twice a month. A gentleman much older than I, in his seventies and still full of fire and life. Passionate about what he does, it could be said if real estate was alcohol, he would certainly be an alcoholic. Very successful and not shy about it.

So I was asking some practical questions about employees, handling contractors, and a tough rental market. We came to a point in the discussion where the growing landlord discovers that he is too big in property to handle all the work himself but too small to have somebody full time and dedicated. My definition of this area, this is the proving grounds and it is right smack where we are in the game.

We put a stop to buying property because of the interest rate hike and the profit margins becoming thinner than what we would like. This move was met with his criticism as a foolish move. Then came that infamous remark, "....and that is why you will not become a millionaire Mr. Klein is because you don't have the balls to make the move. You're too conservative. You need to put the people in place before you need them...."

On the outside I remained unmoved. On the inside I was pissed. It wasn't that I believed he was wrong, far from it. The man was right and I knew it. I've put a lot of stock in my patience, perhaps a little too much at times before I burst the bubble. There is only one place in the whole conversation that I disagreed with his observations and it is a mistake that is quiet common, especially for the observers who are truely trapped deeper in the pit of limited thinking than I am.

That mistake? He said never. The past does not equal the future. To quote Napoleon Hill:

What if you have failed in the past?
So, at one time did every man we recognize as a towering success. They all met with failure at one time or another, but they didn't call it by that name; they called it temporary defeat.

You Gotta' Want It

2006-08-13T19:35:00.000-07:00

The photo is from the cockpit of my F-150. A soul engraved reminder of just what is important in my life, what I work hard for, and what I dream of. She is my princess, my amira, the lady I wish to grow old with. My life has dramatically changed since I met her almost three years ago. I've watched my business and confidence grow, my spiritual life improve, and my direction in life defined. More than anything, I wish to see her experience life at a new level of health, love, and obtain a higher sense of purpose in contribution to humanity and God. All I want for her is the best in life, to fulfill her needs, and keep her safe.

In a nutshell, she is a huge driving force in my life. I want success (and not just monetary) more than anything to simply share the wonders of life with her. So I've developed a rather successful real estate sales career and have created value added additional income in price opinions for asset companies and other financial institutions. I've also created a dovetail business to service REO properties by performing lawn maintenance, trash outs, re-keys, winterizations, etc.

However, there is one other business, ironically being the oldest of the three that I've started that seems to constantly break even or lose money and suck it from the other two. If you've read the first entry in my blog then you already know what it is......it is that landlord thing. Property management is pretty intensive and when you handle a lot of units you just don't need help, you need good, reliable help.

Success depends upon the people who you contract, employ, and/or partner with. They have got to want success and they have got to want it badly....particularly the partners. I've called into question before the absolute desire to do whatever it takes to succeed and I know that the business hinges on open communication, desire, ability to put the ego aside, and willingness to take role(s) that we may not want to take on.

Decision making isn't easy and sometimes it is downright nasty. Building wealth, health, and success can be a very humbling experience. At some point in the game (especially when you build from the ground up) you'll be at the mercy of others. Nobody succeeds alone and we will all have to do things we don't like....even things we may consider degrading.

Dealing With Stress

2006-08-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

I'm one of those artistic types. I write poetry, music, do excessive artistic photography, performed both on and off stage in theatre, DJed, and have created my own businesses. The most difficult thing about my life is me. I always seem to get in the way of what I want. It never fails. Organization is my crux. I can network and I sell an idea but ask me when the next appointment is and I'm searching for my sticky tack notes. It's kind of like that. I'm also a disaster with returning phone calls if they come directly to my cell phone without going through my assistant.

What has happened is that I end up with a lot of wasted time searching for things and trying to remember things. A thought will come to mind of something I need to do then *poof* it is gone. The end result, I work late into the night and then run myself ragged when I must get up early again.

I need to take my own advice more often in this post as I have found that it works. Getting things out of your mind and onto paper makes the situation more manageable. If you don't, the thoughts of the endless things to do, the worries and anxieties will keep recycling themselves in your head. They will keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger and so will your stress level. With the increase is business I stopped writing music, poetry and prose. My stress level has increased. Since taking on this blog, I've found an outlet to relieve some of the worry, anxiety, and stress.

If you believe in God as I do, prayer is also a way to deal with stress. While I pray to manifest certain things into my life the majority of my prayers focus on gratitude. Being thankful for this still beating heart that operates without me having to think about it. Being thankful for those who despise me and hate me. Being thankful for those who love me. Being thankful for the opportunity to serve those who feel I am qualified to do business with. Being thankful for the roof over my head and the princess I am soon to marry. Being thankful for being born in such an awesome country with an opportunity to create a life for myself and my future wife. The list goes on and on and on......and I feel much better!!!

Try it sometime, you'll be glad you did.

It's The Attitude Stupid!

2006-08-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

I was greeted in the early morning hours with a wonderful gift from one of clients. Nine valuations needing to be done in Cleveland with one them being a 24 hr. rush. It's like Christmas everytime I get an order. I love my business and I love my life. By early afternoon I would have to be on the highway.

While I am on my way out there I had a conversation with someone who I had recently cut professional ties with. The man was and is extremely talented, very good with his hands. Just about anything you can think of in the construction of a house he can do. Electrical, plumbing, framing, drywall, carpetting plus other talents and certifications in welding and masonry. When I met him I couldn't understand how someone with so many skills could be in such a tough position in his life.

Over the next seven months I found my answer. I made the fatal mistake of trying to build something around someone who didn't want a better life and only wanted to be comfortable. My attempt came in the form of developing a business name, creating a logo, decalling his truck, developing personalized bid sheets and invoices along with customer surveys, bonding and insuring him, fielding his calls, and paying for his advertising in return for a percentage of his profits. His problem was like that of many Americans, they get too cozy and then they stop.....until they need money again.

The issue was only compounded when I discovered that some difficult customers were ignored, called rat bastards or pieces of shit, and there was a reluctance to return to a job when a mistake was made. Add that to the inability to keep his word for job completion or even arrival (the infamous conctractor trait) and I could see this was heading for a train wreck really fast. So the ties were cut before things could get any worse.

On the phone with him he spoke about how he feels his reputation is being ruined now by someone who is talking bad about him. I politely reminded him of his attitude, his mouth, and his temper to which he readily agreed was an issue that needed to be dealt with. I also reminded him of the many bridges he already burned with customers through his own backtalk. His paranoia and past grudges also do his attitude and his health no favors.

Like past dealings with others in business who did not go so well, I don't hold grudges and I encouraged him to do the same. It's bad for your heart, your health, your mind, your spiritual life, and your business. Success only comes to those who want it and who are ready for it and there is a heavy price to pay for it, I'm still paying for it.

But there is a lesson, an expensive one on my part, to learn from this. I'd rather take someone with the right attitude, who is teachable, than simply run with the man who has talent and a lousy attitude. Several zereos later and I lesson I won't forget.

You Will Reap What You Sow

2006-08-07T17:58:00.000-07:00

This is especially true in the world of real estate and was brought home to me today in a meeting I had with former acquaintances. In my early days I was so anxious to acquire homes that I found someone willing to flip them over as fast as he could fix them, leaving me with little knowledge and know how. At first, the work was adequate but as things continued the quality of the job became less and less desirable. It wasn't often noticed until after the house has been lived in for a few months but nonetheless still became a problem. Compression fittings isntalled improperly, improperly blackjacked roofs which lead to roof leaks and electrical failures (shorts), etc. The final house we critcized immensely for the leaning addition, an unneccesary cut into the main beam, shacked plumbing, exposed electrical wires and junction boxes, and the like. We didn't buy that one.....then all of the sudden when they knew they had to hold it the property was painted, adjusted, and updated properly.

The fixing and flipping paradise ended when the man responsible died (nothing related to real estate) and left his family with a pluthera of properties of his own needing repairs from the patchwork. In a buyer's market with a high foreclosure rate the properties become harder to sell and flexibility becomes more of an issue.

Besides the life lessons involved, fix the repairs properly. Don't patch them. It may cost you more in the long run. Rather than just dealing with the problem even though it may cost more initially, it will cost less in the long run. Do yourself and your pocketbook a favor, make the repairs properly.

Secondly, have a plan in case of your death. MAKE SURE IT IS IN WRITING. If you run solo and have no family, no relatives, or anything this may not be important. However, if you have a wife, children, mother, father, brothers, etc. please consider the consequences and potential burdens your family may have to carry for you. Being a landlord or a property manager is a tough business and for those not privy to all the fine details, they may find it all too easy to sink. I fear that to be the case with the example listed as many involved in the decision making are "green" in the business and some of the people who could be perhaps of the greatest assistance were cut off or out early on. Personal grudges and paranoia have a sour flavor.

Thirdly, take sometime to explain what it is that you do to your family. Show them the business, take them into the field, and let them see what it is like. If your plan is long term in holding property then it is especially important they know what you do. If you do not, the results could be catastrophic (especially if you hold a lot of property). The greatest disservice you could do would be to pass away and leave them blind to your systems, contracts, accounts, etc.

Lastly, no matter what event occurs in this business there is always a lesson to be taken from it. If you don't get it the first time, believe me it will happen again and again until you get it. That is true for all of life. This particular story is far from over and the characters involved have already taught me a great deal of life lessons. There is so much more to be learned. This small empire will either be rebuilt or it will crumble. No matter what the ending, I do remain grateful to the man for all the lessons he intentionally and unintentionally taught me. I also remain grateful to the family in the aftermath for their experiences and decisions are perhaps the greatest lessons of all to learn from.

What The Books Never Told You

2006-08-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

I've bought a lot of the books, the tapes, the manuals, been to the conferences, the special schools all promising you to get rich and be able to make money fast in real estate. It's the perfect bait and switch technique. Buy this book, then go to this school and for a thousand dollars more you go on site to this place with the guru himself. You can even get rich at this part time or part-part time.

To be quite honest though, I've never walked away from one of these events, books, or audio tapes without learning something. There is certainly applicable knowledge to the business in all of them. However, what is missing is all the fine details. All the ways you can surely snag or even sink yourself in the business we call real estate. I'm still a freshman in my fourth year of the school of hard knocks, I just won't quit and I'll never graduate either and every day this business presents new obstacles or opportunities (depending on how you look at it).

Someone once said (I think it was Tony Robbins) "It's a shame failures don't write books so that we can learn from their mistakes" and while I do not consider myself a failure, I certainly have not achieved the level of prosperity and health I desire for my life yet (and therefore cannot label myself a success).

If you are considering the business of real estate investing or holding property and being a landlord, please consider what I say carefully. This business is long term and there could be months where it looks really lean. Especially early on, one of out control water bill or accident on your property could put some strain on you if it is your only income. Keep another income steady whether it is a job or another business. Reserves are very important. The average life of a landlord I was told is two-three years before they either sell out or get kicked out. As a good many have found out by diving in, this ain't always the get rich quick game that the image is being portrayed as,