I am passionate about studying the acquisition and mastery of useful skills.
I find thematic similarities in the fields of real estate investing, martial arts, motorcycles, writing, and learning instruments. Because my pursuits matter to me I devote a significant amount of time trying to develop each of them.
That is why when I come across someone who is the top of their field and similarly interested in learning I like to study their methods and strategies. People like this are Tim Ferriss, Jim Kwik, and the author of today’s book Josh Waitzkin.
I have admired Josh for his chess and Brazilian Jit Jitsu prowess. As a result, I was interested in his mindset and approach to learning so that I can integrate them into my practice.
This book does not disappoint!
Lesson 1: Pursue Excellence
As a chess world champion, Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands world champion, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Marcelo Garcia (a really big deal), Josh is at his heart a competitor. Therefore when he looks to seriously learn something it is to be the best possible version of himself in that skill set.
From this, we should learn to increase the intensity of our learning by ensuring that we have a solid purpose and the effort to match.
Our progress is our responsibility. I found that one of the defining characteristics of Josh is his ability to practice intensely for long periods of time.
Similarly, we have to find ways to maximize our learning with the time that we have.
We must live in a state where we are unafraid to put forward our best effort. Our ego needs to be shed. Don’t worry about what others think because that is something we cannot control.
Instead, learning and progression should be our goals. Become comfortable being uncomfortable.
In the military, we had a saying, “Embrace the suck”. Know that learning can be difficult but if we realize it will be worth it, stay the course.
“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it”
– Pablo Picasso
One of the most difficult things that new real estate investors face when starting out is talking to potential sellers on the phone.
If you feel nervous picking up the phone, don’t worry! The vast majority of investors I’ve met felt uncomfortable with this in the beginning. I know I did!
Overcoming this takes time and repetition. Put in the practice and the results will come!
Lesson 2: Mastery of Self
Learning how to do something difficult and complex like chess, martial arts, or running a real estate investing business takes time, energy, and mental fortitude.
- It takes purposeful discipline to do what is required to attain success.
- It takes passion to be self-motivated.
- It takes being able to reenter the ring time and time again to answer the bell or answer the phone.
I believe in probabilities. If we are disciplined and do the things that are necessary for success over and over again then we increase our probability of success. The most successful of professionals put forward so much effort that failure itself becomes improbable.
You probably won’t make money on your first cold call.
You probably won’t make money on your first offer.
However, the more calls you make, the more you develop the valuable skillset of talking to sellers. The more you learn which answers, voice tones and questions are effective.
You learn the patterns and see the solutions.
This consistency of effort is what creates momentum and eventually a deal. Success requires you to chase it, yet wait for it.
Lesson 3: Solid Foundations
The key to learning and understanding deeper is breaking concepts down to their most simple components. This simplicity helps us learn by making things less intimidating.
That is the difference between understanding how to create a fully itemized rehab budget and knowing how much a bucket of paint costs. Knowing the smaller parts will help to build the whole.
Creating simple steps moves tasks from being overwhelming to possible.
Start with the fundamentals.
- When I built my real estate investing website I didn’t know anything about SEO but…
- I did know how to write a decent biography talking about who I am and why I chose this career path.
- I didn’t know about conversion rates but…
- I could write a solid mission statement about the beliefs I held and why I created a company around that.
- Getting a great color scheme and optimized photos were important but…
- Having a form where people could contact me came first.
Accept imperfection! It is through effort and practice that we learn and improve. We cannot be ashamed of our starting point.
This blog is a great example. No article is put out in its first draft but eventually, it is posted. So I need to not only accept that things are not perfect,
I need to embrace being anti-perfect.
“For the best return on your money, pour your purse into your head”
– Benjamin Franklin
Pick up The Art of Learning. Also, listen to the many podcasts that Josh has done over the years. They provide a fascinating insight into the mind of a true learning and development genius!
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