Re: Direction Mr. Whitney? - Posted by Stu Silver, Trainer
Posted by Stu Silver, Trainer on March 13, 2001 at 08:09:51:
Henry,
I know you asked for Russ’s words of wisdom, and Russ will probably answer, but … you struck a chord in me, as a father, as a millionaire, and as trainer (in that order).
You already show great drive - you are a full time student and working 20 hours too - good for you! You go! And working in the mortgage field is great experience for investing - financing is critical to real estate investment.
Second, chill out a little You can not give more than 100%! And already, between school and working, and trying to start a real estate investing carreer, I’ll bet you are close to being maxed out. Enjoy being young and full of energy.
When my son was in his third year of college, I asked him what he wanted to do - he could come into our successful real estate business and became an investor, an auctioneer, a land developer, a builder - whatever he wanted.
He said, “Dad, I love working on computers, and I want to have my own computer business.” In other words, he wanted to start from scratch (like you), rather than have his father help him, and he wanted to do what he loved.
It made me happy, and a little sad. I was happy that he had the drive to succeed, and I knew he would survive and prosper when his loving father would no longer be around for him (we don’t live forever).
I was sad because I thought that the work of my lifetime would eventually be sold off, and converted into only money. Note the word “only”.
I had to beg my son to stay in school and get his diploma. The business he created was more fun, more vibrant, more creative, more challenging than anything his college professors were teaching him. It took him two and half years to finish his last year in college.
Russ and I came to real estate from totally opposite ends of the spectrum - Russ lost both of his parents and had to quit school in the 9th grade and fend for himself.
Me, I went to college, got a degree in Physics, and then did what I was best trained to do - drive taxicab in New York City. I handed out resumes while I drove cab, and finally, one day, a partner at a presitigious Wall Street Firm gave me a job as a computer coding clerk - which required the I.Q. of a carrot. I could program in 4 computer languages, did so well on the Programmer’s Aptiture Test that I was accused of cheating, and there I was, entering data into the computer like a robot - and thankful for the job because my ass didn’t hurt from driving cab 12-14 hours a day, six days a week.
In other words, the educational system failed me. Russ never had a chance to to be failed - he was handed a heavy load at a young age and he learned how to survive.
In many ways, Russ and I were both lucky. We had jobs we hated so much that we had to find a better way. And after finding a better way, Russ wanted to share that knowledge that he gained through hard work, pain, blood, and stubborn persistance. Russ and I have had many talks about why he keeps on working - he has enough money now. Russ wants to create an educational system that trains people how make money, prosper, and take care of themselves and their loved ones.
Now, here’s my advice. Find something you love to do, first. Study every aspect of Real Estate and choose something you like, then try it.
You will not do it perfectly at first, so allow yourself mistakes. But if you love doing it, and persist, you will become wealthy.
And keep feeding your mind, first with good real estate training, and secondly, with positive motivational things.
Hope the above helps you, son
Good luck and God Bless,
Stu Silver, CCIM
Head Trainer at Russ Whitney’s Millionaire U
Licensed Real Estate Broker, Appraiser, Auctioneer, Mortgage Broker
And
Friend and admirer of Russ Whitney