What does mindset and personal development have to do with property investment and wealth creation?
Well…Everything.
AssetLab’s philosophy is to “Work harder on the INVESTOR than on the INVESTMENT”
Now I hear some people saying “Nope. We’re Kiwi’s. We don’t like flowery stuff mate; just give us the nuts and bolts and we’ll be ‘right”
If only that were true. It does seem that way on the face of it of course but the reality is far from it.
Let’s face it, most of the Property Education principles taught in NZ are not new. Most of the information can be found if you look hard enough; Books, Forums, Investor Associations, Good ol’ Google, it’s all out there. A lot of it for free.
AssetLab are in the business of Wealth Education so it may seem like we’re bias towards it. And you are right, we are.
But we encourage free thought and always challenging the process. So, let me encourage you to challenge the belief in the kiwi-favourite DIY mantra. Ask yourself this question:
“If all of the information is out there if you look hard enough, why are most people not doing it?
In fact, most Kiwi’s realise they should be investing for their future, so they know what they need to do but they don’t do anything. And of those who do start, many of them fail or succeed at a very small level.
Why?
WHAT'S INFORMATION WITHOUT ACTION AND WISDOM?
The answer is that information alone is useless.
It needs to have a focused person to implement it. And that person is driven by emotions and beliefs. If those emotions and beliefs are not managed they are set up to fail before they even begin.
How do we know this is true?
Because we work with thousands of people and time after time we see the same obstacles holding them back from success. And property investment, although an intelligent and effective way to long-term wealth, is hard work.
The good news (whew), is that it can all be changed, updated, adapted, and improved.
And that, my friends, is exciting!
So…This is why in every edition of Beyond Boundaries we will share Strategies, Tactics, Tips, and Tools that we know will help you. We’ll keep them short and digestible because who has time to read screeds of information these days? Like this post, it’s already long and you’re still reading (I like your style and we are going to get on well!)
IMPORTANT: We won’t waste your time with pseudo-science or fluff. The strategies are scientifically-backed and researched and we know they work. We won’t be telling you to dance naked under the full moon, drink your own urine, or hug trees daily (although I do love trees).
Many of the strategies are those I have learned or developed over a long career of training Government Departments (including Special Units, Police etc) in Confrontation Management and Defensive Tactics; Situations requiring a very high degree of mental preparedness and fortitude. It works and will make you better person and a better investor.
So, look out for the next edition of Beyond Boundaries where we’ll jump right in!
Here’s to our journey together.
Phil
Ahh, you know what, you’ve read this far and now you know why this aspect is so important, so I reckon you’re probably keen to get at least one specific strategy today. Why wait till next week? Let’s kick off with an easy one…
ASK BETTER QUESTIONS!
A big factor in the quality of our lives is the type of questions we ask ourselves.
Simply put, our brain answers every question we put to it. The answers will either feed Fears, Uncertainty, and Doubts (Good ol’ FUD) and reinforce your negative belief systems and habits, OR, they will feed your Confidence, Empowerment, Mental Agility, Positive habits and belief systems (oh, and your overall happiness which directly leads to greater success).
How many times do you ask yourself questions like;
“Why do bad things always happen to me?”
“Why can’t I find a good partner?”
“Why am I always broke?”
“How come my friends have money but I don’t?”
“Why can’t I just lose weight?”
And the list goes on and on…
For most people, this is a constant stream. So what’s the big deal in asking yourself questions like these? Hmmm, maybe we should explore the types of answers you’ll get;
Me: Why do bad things always happen to me?
Brain: Because you’re stupid and don’t learn from your mistakes. You’re a plonker.
Me: Why can’t I find a good partner?
Brain: Because you’re ugly. And overweight. And awkward. And you dress funny. And you may even smell bad too.
Me: Why am I always broke?
Brain: Because you’re useless with money. You’re poor and always will be, just be content with that. You bum.
Me: How come my friends have money but I don’t?
Brain: Because they’re smart and you’re dumb. In fact, they are better than you all round.
Me: Why can’t I afford to go on holiday? I need a break.
Brain: A break from what? Being a poor person with no money. No chance of a break from that. It is you. You’re poor. Get used to it.
Me: Why can’t I just lose weight?
Brain: Because you’re a fridge-hog. You have no self-control. Actually, you probably have a food addiction. Yeah, that’s it, you’re a greedy, out-of-control food-fiend with an addiction. Here, have a pie with that doughnut.
When you ask a negative question, you’ll get a negative answer. It’s human wiring, we have a 3:1 negativity to positivity ratio. We see 9 of the 3 possible things that can go wrong.
You can see you don’t have to be an expert in this stuff to figure out this is not too helpful or healthy. Yet most people do it all day, every day, and their brains form the habit which becomes the norm.
The easy alternative;
Ask better questions...
Ask questions which are positively framed and lead you to positive answers, outcomes, and growth.
Old: Why do bad things always happen to me?
New: How can I bring more positive outcomes into my life?
Old: Why can’t I find a good partner?
New: How can I find a good partner who will appreciate me for who I am? Who do I need to be to attract my ideal partner?
Old: Why am I always broke?
New: How can I bring more financial abundance into my life? What do I need to do to make sure I have money to do the things I want to do? How can I change my financial situation for the better?
Old: How come my friends have money but I don’t?
New: How can I change my financial situation to have the money to do the things I want to do with the people I want to do them with?
Old: Why can’t I just lose weight?
New: What habits do I need to change to help me achieve my health goals? What are the negative habits causing me to be overweight and what are better habits to help me get to where I want to go?
Old: Why can’t I afford to go on holiday? I need a break.
New: HOW can I afford to go on holiday?
Robert Kiyosaki talks about the power of simply changing the habit of saying “I can’t afford that” to the better question “How CAN I afford that?” One of these shuts your brain down to possibilities and the other opens it up and looks for solutions.
Your mission, my friend, should you choose to accept it (cue the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme which should now be stuck in your head all day) is to practice asking yourself better questions. It takes practice, but once it’s a habit, watch the amazing change it makes.
Until next week, that’s it from the couch!
Have an awesome week.
Phil
Disclaimer: Nothing is this article is meant to constitute financial advice of any kind, and is the opinion of the author only. Seek professional advice before making any financial decision.
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