Hey Moguls! It’s Mindset Monday again, and coming at you today is a simple but power-packed message from your own REI drill sergeant, Franklin Cruz. My topic for today’s lesson? How to kick the butt of the one thing holding you back in your real estate journey: fear.
We all have it, and as an Army veteran and an uber-experienced real estate investor, I will say that I know a thing or two about how to show fear to the door so you can live the life of your dreams.
Conquering your fear… of anything!
Let’s talk fear…
How’s about jumping out of an airplane?
With a parachute, that is. So, yeah, I went skydiving — bailing out of a perfectly good airplane at 14,000 feet — because everyone thought I couldn’t. And it ended up being one of the best things I’ve ever done.
Don’t get me wrong, I was shaking with nerves on the way up there. And sure, there were a million things that could have gone wrong. But in those first 10 seconds of freefalling, before my parachute opened, I experienced total freedom.
Look, soooo many people never get to the next level, in their careers and in life, because they let worries and fears hold them back. They never get to step #2 because they’re so afraid of step #1. And that’s no way to live, my friend.
Here’s what to do…
Be Present
I conquered my fear of heights and falling and ended up having a transcendent experience. How? Because I was completely present in that moment.
I’ve found that if you’re 100% present and focused in the moment, you can conquer anything. Not just skydiving. Not just your career problems. Anything.
When I threw myself out of that plane, I wasn’t thinking about what-ifs, the past or the future. I wasn’t worrying about what I had to do at work the next day. None of that mattered. I was just there. With that simple act of focusing all my energy in the present, I was able to shut out my fear and instead feel excitement about what I was experiencing.
Think about it...
Most of our fears are related to the future - stuff that might possibly happen to us. Why would you waste time and energy worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet?
The same goes for your career in real estate. You might think:
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What if I buy this property and it turns out bad?
or
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What if I buy this property and it turns out bad?
The truth is… most of the stuff we worry about never happens. You can’t control everything about the future, but you can control your attitude in the present moment.
Positive Mental Attitude (PMA)
I believe that whatever you put out into space — whatever you dwell on and speak — becomes reality. So if you constantly worry and imagine negative “what-ifs,” those will probably become true for you. And even if they don’t - by creating all these scary scenarios in your mind, you make yourself feel like those things have already happened.
But if you think about positive things, those can become true as well.
Why would you want to give fear the power in your life? Instead, try speaking your mission statement, the thing that makes you tick. Focus on living that purpose out in the present moment, and see how much better you feel.
Let Bygones Be Bygones
And to wrap things up here, I’ve just gotta say: Don’t let your past dictate your future.
I know this one’s hard, I get it, really I do. But so many of our fears come from things we’ve experienced in the past. But remember, those things aren’t happening right now!
Does it make sense to shape the rest of your life based on what’s over and done with? I don’t think so. Why not choose something different, right now? Say no to fear and create a past you’ll be proud to look back on… and a future you’re excited for.
What say you?
What’s the scariest call you’ve ever had to make as an investor? How did you handle it? Do you have any strategies for conquering your fear? Let us know in the comments below!
Be 100% present in each moment.
Focus on the positive outcome you want.
Speak your mission so you can live it.
Don’t let your past dictate your future.
Franklin Cruz
(aka Real Estate Drill Sergeant) is a real estate investor, army veteran, Father, husband and humanitarian. He's a full time real estate investor with a part time lifestyle. Driven by professionalism, integrity, tenacity and a relentless determination, Franklin has gone from the trenches of serving in the US Army to the top of the Real Estate Investing game. If anyone knows how relate to starting a business from scratch, itís Franklin. His challenging background and unique approachability give Mr. Cruz the uncanny skill to relate to everyone on some level, both personally and professionally.