Do you have a personal “why” statement? Why do new investors and entrepreneurs need to write and share their “why”? How can this help you achieve greater success?
I encourage people,
especially new investors and entrepreneurs, to both write and share their own personal “Why” statement for their plans to succeed in real estate. A personal “Why statement” is a combination of goals mixed with vision and dreams. This is a personal “why” statement that says “THIS is why I’m working so hard, and the life I’m looking to build for myself and those I love”. A good “Why” statement should include WHO/WHAT/WHEN/WHERE/HOW components of what your life will look like when you’ve achieved certain goals you also lay out in the statement.
If you say you want greater success, and have decided to use the vehicle of real estate to get it...in my opinion you may as well continue whatever poor habits you have because the world of entrepreneurship ain't for you. Harsh? Welcome to the real world. People give up their dreams every single day and accept less than they're capable of for their family and their future. Why do they give up on themselves? Often, it's a simple case of not having a strong enough WHY kept in front of their face and in back of their mind at all times.
That means that because no one is requiring you to do this as a 'task', many of those reading this article who should do this exercise will not do it.
Because doing it is not URGENT
I would not however say that doing it is not IMPORTANT.
It is anything but!
Again and again I have explained to people the importance of a clear "WHY" in my life, and related a few examples of other successful entrepreneurs for whom this mental tool has been crucial to keep them on track and in pursuit of that future desired but not yet lived.
I regularly suggest to seekers of success in real estate who do NOT have a strong WHY, and one that is clearly and concretely articulated to them selves, that they have a severe disadvantage in seeking the level of success they want and are doing themselves a disservice.
There's a lesson therein, if you catch it.
Urgent vs. Important. Both often need to be done. But only one gives you a deadline and a reminder or feels like it must be done right away, immediately, without delay.
- No screaming baby is going to quiet down because you whisper your WHY in his or her pink little ear.
- No fire is going to spring up that you need your WHY to extinguish.
- No arm is going to get broken that you need your WHY to heal up.
- No child's activity coming up unexpectedly and needing a family schedule re-arrangement is going to get resolved because your WHY is there.
- No bill sitting on your kitchen table unopened and un-dealt with as you deal with mounting financial pressure is going to be paid and disappear when you determine your WHY.
Having your own personal "WHY" in pursuit of success is IMPORTANT with a capital I. But developing it for yourself ain't ever going to be urgent.
The fact is... I will not sugarcoat the seeking of success for any of you... in real estate investment or otherwise.
You have to find something or create something as a WHY in your mind that you love enough or are excited enough by to be able to take risks, jump over hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you’re doing, or for the 'end' expectedly resulting from the means you're doing in pursuit of that WHY...you’ll stop at the first or next giant obstacle.
I know not only in theory but in practice as one person after another I started out with on this entrepreneurial journey has reverted back to their past habits, quit their dream, conformed to the 9 to 5 grind, and gone running back to embrace the W-2 paycheck like a baby blankie.
And I do NOT want to partner with people who have a weak WHY. When people come to me looking to do business and seeking mentoring and to work with me, I often ask them about their “why statement”. If they don’t have one, it’s a pretty clear indication to me that should things get tough they’ll buckle and quit. This means I don’t want to waste my time with them.
Personally, I look at it this way: The stronger your personal “WHY” statement, the more I'm willing to invest myself in you, the return on my investment is more likely, in that the person I'm mentoring, will become an excellent partner and our business can continually grow in the future.
An entrepreneur, real estate investor, marketing consultant and copywriter, dedicated reader of thriller novels, lover of great southern barbecue, Texas hold ‘em poker aficionado, and published author, Danny Welsh is passionate about two things: empowering real estate investors and entrepreneurs to get to the next level, and helping other business owners get better results with their marketing using mostly no cost and low cost marketing initiatives. Co-founder of both the Greatest Real Estate Giveaway and Real Deal Community social network for real estate investors, Danny is a managing partner with HIS Real Estate Network, a commercial real estate buying group.
