Your “Why”

The only sure fire way to success.

Kevin Amolsch – Pine Financial

Working fourteen hour days?  Working on a Saturday?  Feeling the fear of the deal and doing it anyway?  Does any of this sound familiar?  Oftentimes, this is exactly what it takes to be successful as a real estate investor. We are all willing to put in the time and effort or to take the risk, but we first need to find our personal motivation.  As we enter into the Holiday season, this is a great time to look at your business and your reasons for doing what you do.  Why are you willing to work so hard?

The question, of course, is “why”.  “Why” is the most important question you will ever ask yourself in business.  Why do you want, or better yet, why do you need to be successful?  If your “why” is not bigger than yourself, you need to think harder. 

The real estate industry recently lost a very special person.  John was a friend.  He was young and was still building his legacy.  His funeral was standing room only and people are still talking about how he touched so many lives.  The stories have poured in on how their lives are better for knowing him.  His “why” was to leave a legacy.  That is a reason to work hard! 

My big why has changed a little over the years, but the one that got me going was to help my dad.  I lost my mom to cancer when I was young and my dad raised me, my brother and my sister by himself.  I have zero complaints about my childhood because he was such a great parent.  I owe a lot to him.  Being a one parent and one income family, it was difficult for him to even think about his retirement.  He was unable to successfully plan for his retirement, and is still working today.  I want to help him enjoy the latter years of his life and help him, if he would ever allow it, with his retirement. 

Now I have kids of my own, a big part of my why is them.  I want to provide for them and help them grow to be amazing contributors to society.  I have also learned that your why should expand even past your own family, like John was able to do.  Now, my why is my girls; but I also want to help as many other less fortunate kids grow up to be happy and successful contributors as well.  I cannot accomplish this if I am not successful myself.  Thinking about this “why” inspires me to donate my time and money, especially this time of year, and it has helped me create the success I have in my business and life.

What is it you want out of life?  When you die, will you be happy with what you have accomplished?  We get so focused on our financial goals, that many of us never stop to think about why we want the things we want.  What impact are we trying to make? When you really think about it, it is so much bigger than the money you make for yourself.

During this holiday season, the best thing you can do for yourself, your business, and for others is to focus on your “why” and use that as motivation to push you and your business into the New Year.