Doing it ALL Takes Time

[JoeRagona]

A Serial Entrepreneur ` that`s me, someone who just loves working `
all the time. I lived my life focused only business, developing,
running, and working. I was the best at everything ` marketing, sales,
desktop publishing, accounting, you name it.

I was an entrepreneur trapped in my own `success`.


That changed in 2005.


I just returned from an awesome trip to Alberta touring with the Real Estate Investment Network
(REIN) and I was able to speak to hundreds of members in both Calgary
and Edmonton about fear, my business and life experience and how I
realized at 40 years old that working long stressful hours in my
`freedom` was really just selfish ` there was nothing I was doing for
anyone else`even though I pretended it was.


Doing it all
cost me a lot and taught me many lessons, regret and missed
opportunities but the one thing it DID not do, was paralyze me. And
THAT was MY choice. I still was able to look at where I was and decide
to change it...but why??


Over the course of my Real Estate investing career, I have thought many times about WHY I am doing this.

First, Let Me Tell You What is NOT Motivating Me to Invest In Real Estate

• Money
  Freedom

Isn`t that weird? I`m investing in an asset that could potentially
bring me serious gain, but it`s not about the money OR the freedom!!


First, you can get money anywhere ` I had a great salary with the company I sold and if all I wanted was money, I could have kept it.


Second, if all I wanted was freedom, I could have taken all the
equity in our home and gone on vacation after vacation for the next ten
years instead of investing that into building our portfolio ` basically
get immediate gratification.


I`m telling you this only to stress my point.


Who would this have benefitted besides me and my wife? You have to DIG VERY DEEP to figure out WHY you want to invest in Real Estate.

Do You Want to know WHY I do it?

First and foremost my intention is to have Real Estate provide the
means to support our family so my wife can continue to do whatever she
wants ` to finally have all the freedom she deserves. She has been a
martyr all her life and has given me the freedom to pursue everything I
have ever wanted. My gift now is to be able to give this back to her.


The second part of my WHY is to do the same for other people, to help
them achieve what they truly want; but that`s not a blanket
statement...it`s not a `false wish`... I TRULY love being that person
who can alter someone`s life and it`s why I jump at the chance to talk
on stage, it`s why I`m not embarrassed at all to share my stories,
regret, humiliation, to cry, to admit my mistakes and toot my triumphs.

Simply, all my life, for some reason I can`t explain, I have always
wished for everyone to have an equal life. From a small child, I wished/>(literally) others would have the same thing I had and I felt sort of
`guilty` if I had something they did not. Yes, I know how the world
works and that there will always be wealthy & poor but if I can now
share and what I know to impact people around me so they too can have
what I have on every level if they choose to do so, it makes me tick.

This is a huge part of my passion ` it`s why I get up in the morning `
it`s why I spend hours on the telephone coaching Real Estate
entrepreneurs and it`s why I didn`t even think twice at flying across
the country to speak to hundreds of others in a like-minded
environment. There was at least one person I changed this Monday and
Tuesday, and it is worth it all.


In fact, I have to admit what energized me the last few days were the personal conversations
I was grateful to have with the people who told me I DID impact
them`and that is indescribable. Thank you for those important words - I
will never forget them.

 

[Rickson9]

A fantastic post explaining your background and motivation! I enjoyed reading it!





Speaking for myself, I don't like working. As a result I don't work much, or often. I spend most of my time playing video games, sports, reading and hanging out with family and friends. Many people might spend 40 hours a week working - I spend at least 40 hours a week with video games, sports, literature and hanging out. I almost never wake up early. My wife and I spend a lot of time together. We hang out a lot. Great conversations. Mostly discussing the latest thing that I read. LOL. I like it.




Unfortunately, for better or worse, I am selfish. my investing doesn't really benefit anybody except my family and I. It's true that one can get money anywhere - and I do. As long as I don't have to work hard to get it. Why work hard for money when capitalism allows for almost work-free money? I have never viewed money tied to an invisible hourly wage or project. Money is all around us. Everywhere. I can see it flowing all around. It's there for the taking. It can be created out of nothing.






What motivates me to invest? Probably is some form of insecurity and fear. The fear of having to work. I don't want to 'need' to work for anybody (customers, employers, employees, etc.) and I don't.





Some may say that this is a very hedonistic lifestyle and I can't say that I disagree. I kind of feel bad about it, but apparently not bad enough to change my ways.





If an individual can learn from the investing experiences documented on my web site or speaking to me, more power to them, but I'm not going out of my way to push it. There is absolutely no part of me (at the moment) that should be confused with having a desire for some altruistic contribution to society.





Don't get me wrong. I think it is important for society to have individuals who want to work hard - to drive society to be better. It is extremely important to have these people. I would hate for a surgeon or teacher to have my attitude. Society would suffer greatly.





To each their own. Live and let live.





I seek work-free money. Out of fear (or insecurity). In my own way. Why not? It's so easy.





Best regards.

 

[BlairClarke]

Thanks Joe!



I still owe you for that conversation that we had over the telephone..........that helped alot.



As for me Joe, I wish that everyone had a mother like mine. I truly mean that. I sometimes think what my life would have been without a mother of her quality or without a mother period and I get sad.



I hope that one day I can be as good of a parent like she was!



Thanks Again Joe! I really enjoy your posts

 

[JoeRagona]

Thank you for the response - I'm glad you liked the post.



From what I understand, you seem to have most of your life already hooked up with your Real Estate and that is a great place to be if that is truly what you are living from. Spending time with your wife and doing what you love is certainly important.



I also commend you on your honesty as most people would not admit what you have here. I don't believe anyone should have to work hard, just smarter - but as you said, there are people who will always want to work hard.



It's perfectly fine to be investing for your family don't think I don't know that, but what I also know is how important giving back is as it excels the individual in more ways than one.



I personally have made tons of cash in my life and have been close to bankruptcy also. When I was flaunting all my cash buying immediate gratification toys like cars and landscaping etc, the truth was I was living a false life - pretending wealth - when I became aware of what I was doing to other areas of my life, this was when the switch happened. It is why money is not the driver in my business.



I would guess you are not in the same position and in knowing how you accumulated wealth at your stage in life, we all benefit



thanks for your input!

 

[JoeRagona]

Hi Blaire!



You do? Ah, looks like there's a big lunch coming my way LOL, no worries, my pleasure to help out.



With a foundation such as your Mother, it will strengthen your WHY going forward - it looks like you are already on that path anyway!



I'm very grateful for having people read and like the posts! Thanks for taking the time to respond!!

 

[Rickson9]

Thanks for the response Joe! I'm the same with regards to toys and 'stuff'. Outside of very basic living my money is only used to invest into more and more assets. These assets, in turn throw off more money, and the cycle repeats itself. For me, there is definitely a selfish psychological issue behind this. All the best!



"Beware the barreness of a busy life" - Socrates

 

[JoeRagona]

You bet Rickson! Thanks again for your input and honesty

 

[housingrental]

Hi Joey

Re the quoted section below I can relate

This is why I love property management so much

Being able to help other people everyday, well it is just so meaningful



[quote user=JoeRagona]

The second part of my WHY is to do the same for other people, to help
them achieve what they truly want; but that`s not a blanket
statement...it`s not a `false wish`... I TRULY love being that person
who can alter someone`s life and it`s why I jump at the chance t

 

[JoeRagona]

Pretty cool isn't it? I suppose it is for us as well - the rewarding part when a JV tells me a heartfelt thank you and for you when an investor mentions you have made his life so much easier!