When I was in high school, I was the

PERFECT "C" STUDENT....AT BEST!

I'd come home my first quarter and I got 3 C's and 3 D's.  Second Quarter was 6 Cs.  3rd Quarter was 3 C's and 3 D's.  Final grade.....6 Cs.  I had a hard time adjusting to high school.  Frankly, I hated the studying.  My grades were my evidence that I hated studying.  Everytime my report card came in that year, and throughout my years of high school, I could hear my dad walking down the hallway for the "talk."  By the 3rd time he came down, I had it memorized.  His magic phrase was life was that

success is

10% brain power and 90% Ass Power. 

It's never been more true than in my life!

My 3 brother's are MDs and my sister graduated number one out of Notre Dame's MBA class.  In my eyes, I was the dumb one.  I constantly compared myself to the others.  Even my little brother, the one with the learning disability went on to become a doctor.  Mom and dad just wouldn't let it go.  Mom said that her role was to get me to heaven.  My dad said that his role was to make sure that I'm successful in life.  For him, it came down to 10% brain power and 90% Ass Power. 

Long story short...

I went on and got a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology and subsequently graduated law school from Northern Illinois University.  It wasn't til I got to the graduate program that I realized that I was smart, but I had just been comparing myself to some geniuses.  I decided that I had to work my butt off if I was to stay in grad school and go to law school.  Dad was right and now I'm saying the same B.S. to my kids.

AND WITH REAL ESTATE.....

When it comes to real estate, I will tell you invariably 100% of the time, I see the same thing.  Never a variation. 

10% Brain Power and 90% Ass Power!!!! 

I see people who are more intelligent than me (I know that's hard to believe).  But then I think that they really aren't more intelligent than me because they won't put forth the effort to be successful.  They think that just because they're smart or have paid their dues, that they're entitled.  They don't realize that the dues need to be paid every day while they're working.

CRITICAL QUESTION????  HOW DO YOU DEFINE INTELLIGENCE? 

If it's I.Q. I'm right there, but not hanging in the Mensa Society or anything like that.  If it's being smart enough to be successful, I think I'm post graduate in my level of thinking. I'll put forth the effort to be a success.  There really aren't any options.

I had a great friend who made $1,000,000 of income....

originating loans a few years back.  30 FHA purchase transactions a month.  At the end of the year, he said never again.  He was burnt out.  That was 5 years ago and he's barely making it.  He's barely at 3 deals a month.  He worked his butt off for one year, but 1 year won't carry you through a career.  I don't think that it's a sprint, but if you're in this business you need to be in it for the long haul.  It's a marathon, not a sprint.  It's the ass power, the work ethic, the "get it doneness" that separates winners from losers.

I'm amazed at the talent that I see in my business, but those with the most talent often won't work.  It's such a welfare mentality.  "I'll go to work today, check my e-mails and hope that the phone rings" doesn't work in today's market.  Players vs. Pretenders.  If you are going to work, you need to work hard. 

If I were to make a bottom line statement here it's that failure to work with a purpose, means that your livelihood in this business is in jeopardy. 

My reason for writing this post is for inspiration.  You don't have to be the smartest.  But anyone who is willing to work on purpose and who will out work the competition will be successful.  Remember,

10% Brain Power and 90% Ass Power