Hey Moguls, Alex Pardo here…
As a fairly new Faculty Advisor of the Mogul community, I’d like to share my thoughts with you on something I find most people don’t do (or even know about). It might explain why you feel stuck and are not progressing toward the life you envision.
Side Note: What you’re about to read comes from my Christian perspective. But look, I know that we here at Mogul are a wonderful melting pot of religions, beliefs and faiths… so hang with me, read on, and I think you’ll find that although my thoughts come from the Bible – they are actually universally applicable to everyone, regardless of whether you practice a religion or not.
So, can you guess what I’m talking about?
Well, if you think I’m going to share with you the latest and greatest real estate investing Tool, Trick, or Technique, you are wrong. But it does start with a “T.”
Do you consistently Tithe?
Allow me to backtrack a few steps… Do you even know what a Tithe means?
Let’s quickly check Wikipedia’s definition:
“A tithe (from Old English: teogoþa "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, checks, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products.”
I did some more research to find out how tithing began, and here is what I found:
“Definition: A tithe is one-tenth part of one's income. Tithing, or giving a tithe, goes back to ancient times, even before Moses. In the Bible, Mosaic Law required that the Israelites give one-tenth of the produce of their land and livestock, the tithe, to support the Levitical priesthood (Leviticus 27:30-33). Today, many Christians donate a tithe, or ten percent of their income, to support their church, the pastor's needs, and missionary work.”
God, and my faith is the foundation of my life. Always has been, and always will be, and it’s my core belief that God wants each and every one of us to Tithe. That is, to give away 10 percent of our income.
I do have a confession (no pun intended) to make.
I didn’t always feel this way. In fact, it wasn’t until 3 years ago that I realized I wasn’t tithing on a consistent basis. Sure, I’d drop a few bucks in the basket at Church when the offering came around, but it wasn’t until I heard Preston Ely talk about Tithing in his Wake Wealthy program – that I took it upon myself to make this a priority in my life. (Thanks P J)
Now I can already imagine what you might be thinking:
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“I’ll tithe when I make more money.”
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“When I close my next deal, I’ll donate some money.”
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“I DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY!”
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“I HAVE TOO MANY EXPENSES and…”
Screw all that. TITHE NOW! I dare you… and watch what happens.
I’m so grateful for all the blessings that God has given me and my family, and I truly believe that a big part of it is because I give freely, and with a smile.
The first few times I stroked a check for a few grand, it was tough. Not gonna lie. Soon I began to experience God blessing me in so many more ways, and I had a light bulb moment.
Do it because you want to.
Now I’m not suggesting you Tithe because you expect to receive. That’s not what we're after here. Tithe because you want to give. Tithe because it feels good to know you are contributing and helping. Tithe because it feels good to give. Tithe because you know you have been blessed (regardless of what your financial situation may be).
Here are some Bible verses on the subject of Tithing that stood out at me:
“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” – Proverbs 11:24
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
– 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you … when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
– Matthew 6:1-4
Do you feel like giving?
Ask yourself when was the last time you Tithed or gave freely. Is your life where you want it to be? Would your family and friends consider you to be a generous person?
This concept I’ve presented is in hopes that you’ll give with a cheerful heart believing that your generosity will be returned to you twofold. Think about the amazing places where you can give: Church, synagogue, local soup kitchen, humane society, homeless shelter… and on and on…
I challenge you to stop what you are doing and give away 10% of the last check you made. This may sting at first, but if you make this a priority, I’m confident you’ll be rewarded.
Holla at us
Do you have a great story about your own personal tithing? Share the love by leaving some thoughts in the comments section below.
Familiarize yourself with the concept of tithing.
Think about ways you can contribute to charities, religious institutions and other non-profits.
Feel amazing that you are becoming a generous person to whom rewards will in turn be given.
Alex Pardo
has been investing in real estate for 9 years. Before he started working on his real estate investing business, he worked for GE Consumer Finance in their Financial Management Program. He quickly realized that staring at Microsoft Excel for 14 hours a day was the fast lane to the dreaded rat race, so he completed the 2-year program, and decided to backpack around Europe and Africa for 3 months, before diving into Real Estate full-time. Two months later, he closed his first deal and made $44,000. Almost as much as he made in 1 year at General Electric, and needless to say he hasn’t looked back. Fast forward to today, he has started several businesses and has learned as much from his failures as he has from his successes. To date his company has closed over 250 real estate transactions and has helped countless homeowners and investors in the process.