From Preston Ely, Mindset Advisor...
Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.
"When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Before you freak out, I'm not talking about risking your job, or your husband or wife, or your good credit rating, or your savings, or your 401(k), or your standing in the community, or your house or car, or your dog, or your lawn mower, or your faith in humanity, or anything else that you may value.
Ummmm ...wait a minute ... actually... I am.
( On a Scale From 1 to 10 How Much Better Do You Feel After Reading This? )
Listen, if you're not willing to risk everything, you will never gain anything. Your unwillingness to take chances is what got you in the rat race that you hate in the first place. And playing it close to the vest won't get you out.
Now, I'm not advocating risk without a plan. That's just stupid.
Quitting your job to fulfill your childhood dream of becoming a professional skateboarder is not taking a calculated risk. It's called a kneejerk reaction to a midlife crisis. And if you do this, you will certainly lose everything I mentioned previously, and more. And you deserve it...
Risk without purpose will always equal failure.
A risky move, powered by a plan and purpose, has a chance to succeed. And that's all we really want... a chance.
I come from a corporate background. I was in sales and marketing, all with large corporations, for roughly ten years. When I made the jump to wholesaling houses and owning my own business, I made sure I had the following:
(A) a mentor
(B) financing
(C) a burning desire
Whoops, I mean...
(C) a burning desire to SUCCEED
Once I had this, I quit the rat race cold turkey, and ventured out on my own. I did this knowing full well that if I didn't succeed, I could possibly lose my girlfriend, my home, my savings, my retirement, my car, my self esteem and my confidence.
I had a dream and a plan... and I went for it.
The Difference Between Me and You
Today, I own a profitable business, work out of my home, make the kind of money that only owning a business can bring... and enjoy the freedom that I always dreamed of.
You know what, though? I'm no better than you. I feel the same emotions that you do. I feel fear and anxiety. I feel anger and frustration. And I feel disappointment and rejection. I just don't allow it to knock me down. I simply plow right through it.
My success today was spawned from a willingness to risk it all. Don't allow fear to create an unwillingness in your life. If the possibilities outweigh the consequences, it's time for you to step out in faith... and go for it.
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Take inventory. What fears of risk have been holding you back? Be honest with yourself. Set aside some time and right down your answer.
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Calculate your risk. Really map it out. If this has been holding you back, then it's worth really sizing up what's at stake, identifying your purpose, and crafting a reasonable plan to move forward and face that risk.
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Have faith, not fear. Don't allow fear to create an unwillingness in your life. If the possibilities outweigh the consequences, it's time for you to step out in faith... and go for it.
Preston Ely
is a real estate investor, serial entrepreneur, life coach, musician and philanthropist. CEO of Real Freedom, Inc, one of the most influential internet-based information publishers in the world, owns the largest Anytime Fitness Gym in the United States, is recording a music album with Atlantic Records, sits on the board of Advocates Of Love Orphanage, and has a non-profit charity assisting the poor and oppressed in Cuba with both their physical and spiritual needs.
With over 200,000 subscribers to his email newsletter, he is rapidly fulfilling his mission on earth, which is to glorify God by setting people physically, mentally, financially, and spiritually free through his music and his message of FREEDOM. Preston is 37 years old, lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Ashley, where he spends most of his time reading, writing, and practicing mixed martial arts.