True wisdom from others who’ve been around for a while or have experience in the area that you are now involved in, can be a marvelous and helpful thing, particularly if you’re able to learn from others’ mistakes. Learning just one helpful hint or technique could save you hours or years of wasted time. All of us make mistakes, and you will too, but it’s certainly less expensive if you can learn from someone else’s mistakes rather than your own. If you are fortunate enough to be able to find a good mentor who will share information with you openly and honestly, you’ve got an advantage that many others in your position will not have. If you are successful in developing a relationship with a mentor, sooner or later you will have the opportunity to hear about their mistakes and how they overcame them. At first they’ll want to make sure you know how smart they are and how well their business is going. After a level of trust and friendship has been established, though, you’ll probably hear something like this: “Let me tell you about what happened when I didn’t fully read the contract,” or “This is what happened when I worked with that financing company.” When you hear stories like these, LISTEN & take notes. Chances are that you’re about to get some information that will save you money, time, and disappointment if you are willing to learn from the experience that your mentor is going to share with you.
Perhaps you have a friend or relative who has done well in real estate investment, in owning his or her own business. Ask around. And if the opportunity to learn from an experienced player comes along, take advantage of it. Be polite and up-front about your intentions. Say something like “I’ve just started in this business, and I’d like to learn as much as I can. I know that there is a lot I could learn from you. Would you be willing to answer some questions for me?” Human nature being what it is you will most likely get a positive response. People love to talk about themselves and their own successes, and most people genuinely are willing to help others, so long as it doesn’t cost them too much money, time, or effort.
So what if there isn’t anyone you can turn to as a mentor? Well, here’s the good news: You can learn from me. Besides this particular course, I also hold real estate classes and seminars. I can honestly say that I have helped hundreds of people to become personally successful in real estate. Of course, if you’re enrolled in one of my classes, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask me questions during the lecture session. Or, if it’s really important or a big deal you are in trouble with, you can contact my office, but I warn you, you probably won’t be speaking with me and we charge more than lawyers for consultations. The good news is that we do something that lawyers don’t: We answer questions and solve problems within the hour.
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