“A brush with death always helps us to live our lives better.”
~Paolo Coelho, author of The Alchemist.
We couldn’t agree more…
People who have faced death often realize we’re all just living on borrowed time. One day, everything that we have, everything we hold dear…
Money- Family
- Power
- Business, or whatever
…will all disappear. You don’t have to have a near-death experience, though, in order to realize what matters most in life.
Today’s post is special because it’s different from the rest…
It’s not about learning and/or refining your real estate investing tactics or strategies. It’s more about refining and living a better and more rewarding life.
And I honestly believe that the following truths could very well change everything for you if you let them.
“That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.”
~Friedrich Nietzsche
Title credits Conan the Barbarian
1. We are stewards
A steward is someone who manages the arrangements and possessions of someone else. But this type of stewardship isn’t just about money or possessions, it’s about arrangements and circumstances.
When you go through the process of visualizing your goals in life, don’t just focus on money and material things. Trust me, it’s going to be a very unfulfilling journey if you focus on those.
Money is a piece of the puzzle. It’s a cog in the wheel…
Stewardship is essential. So it really isn’t optional. There’s a tendency that we spend most of our time thinking about the past and the future. We forget to be fully present in what has been entrusted to us.
You are a steward of your:
- family
- business
- stuff
- life
Stewardship is all-inclusive. At some point, you’ll be asked to give an account of how well you handle everything that’s given to you:
- time
- money
- skills
- knowledge
- opportunities
- friendships
- even moments
2. Be transparent.
Transparency isn’t just powerful, it’s imperative.
Consider this important question:
Why do we wear masks?
Does society or culture have a way of making us mask our struggles or keeping our dirt hidden from public view?
Think about it…
Sometimes other people only see the side of us that we want them to see (we don’t even realize it). We keep our struggles, our rough edges, nicely out of sight.
But when you visibly face the challenges in your life, you not only attract the support and encouragement you need from your loved ones but also deeply impact other people around you in a positive way.
It’s definitely life-changing when you can live your life with transparency and authenticity. It draws support, encouragement and input from the people who matter the most in your life.
3. We ought to live a purposeful life
Have you ever wondered why you were born?
Or why you didn’t die when you definitely should have (cue a near-death experience)?
That’s because we all have a purpose here on earth other than just surviving.
If you want to know your purpose, ask yourself this:
“If you didn’t have to please anyone or worry about anyone else, what would you do?”
And this one:
“If money was not an issue, what would you do?”
Begin with your passions – what you really want to do and go from there.
Always remember that you are unique. You have gifts, talents, skills and opinions that no one else has. Your job is to share those with the world. Make yourself available to not only serve your interests but other people as well.
You’ll eventually realize that it’s more fulfilling to give than to receive.
4. Change is constant
It’s probably the most cliché of all clichés, but change is inevitable.
Only when you embrace the change can you notice its benefits. Turn the changes into opportunities, embrace them with open arms and an open mind; recognize and capitalize on these changes and you’ll definitely use it for your benefit.
Most people like to ignore the change. They keep on doing the same things over and over in the hopes that it will go away.
Newsflash: Change will always be there.
If you’re going to continue to ignore it, then there’s a huge possibility that you’ll fail. Life doesn’t stop for anyone.
Nothing in life is constant. When everything’s going well, appreciate it and be grateful. If you’re always on the lookout for something better, something more than what you have, you’ll never be able to fully enjoy the present and the wonderful moments in your life.
5. Don’t be afraid of failure
We all have fears, that’s a given, but don’t let your fear rob you of what could have been.
The main source of regret is fear.
When opportunities pass by, you’ll think more about the chances you didn’t take than the possibility of failure. So, don’t be afraid to take risks.
Those risks should be calculated, with an ample amount of due diligence, but they are still risks. Every day in life is a risk.
Business is risk. You just can’t escape it.
Embrace it. Seek to minimize it. And use it to your advantage.
Really, what’s the worst thing that can happen to you?
It probably won’t kill you (be careful around those near-death experiences, though). There is nothing worse than allowing yourself to die internally while you’re still alive. Living a life afraid of everything will be a slow death.
Think of the failures as lessons for the future. Some may be expensive lessons. Failure is just part of your education.
Look, all these truths help us become better people and better real estate investors…
Try running your business around these 5 truths. Make the most out of knowing that you have a purpose to not only change your life for the better but to impact other people as well.
Take Action
- Learn from other people’s experiences/mistakes. “A wise man learns from the mistakes of others, the fool has to learn from his own.”
- Make the most out of your life. We are living on borrowed time. We cannot guarantee that we’ll live to see tomorrow.
- Be limitless. You are your own limitation. You can go as far as your mind, determination and will let you.
Share your BIG lessons with us!
Got any hard-learned lessons, falters, or good ‘ol fashioned mistakes to warn others about? Share below! We’ll take the best ones and write about them in a future post.
