The Single Greatest Investment?
Every Sunday I send out something to think about, a question to ponder and something to try to make your life a little more pleasant. The idea is to inspire and encourage positive change. Readers share their progress so we can all benefit from the learnings.
THINK
I was once asked on a Podcast what I thought was the single greatest investment.
I gave them two answers. The first one won’t surprise you but the second one might.
1) Property
Property investing tops the list for traditional forms of investment. Here are some of the reasons why I’m such a big fan:
- ROI is high
- Numerous ways to make a profit
- Leverage other people’s money (Banks, Investors)
- You can add significant value to the asset (not possible with stocks)
- Tax efficient
- Low risk / Safe
- Inflation-beating income
But like every other investment, it’s not without its faults.
- It takes time to learn
- It’s not passive (despite what people say)
- You need a lot of cash or a lot of time to get started
- Involves admin and accounting
- Illiquid
Here’s the key to managing the cons…
Most of the downsides of Property Investing come from starting.
Once you’re up and running, a chunk of the negatives are behind you or you have the means to better manage them – ie. Paying people to help you with admin, accounting and becoming more passive.
So, just get started and work through that initial difficult bit to get all those juicy benefits listed above.
This was my first studio Podcast and I wanted to make an impression. So, I gave them a second answer…
2) Courage
“Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others.”
Aristotle
You’ve probably heard someone say “The best investment you can make is in yourself“.
Do what you can to hold down the vomit and put your cynical self to the side for a moment because they’re right. 🤮
The list of benefits to property investing pails into insignificance when you consider the ROI of improving yourself. Your earning potential EXPLODES, along with the associative benefits.
So, how do you invest in yourself?
There are multiple ways to skin that cat, but I think Courage is the best place to start.
Aristotle believed courage was the #1 virtue for living a life of fulfilment. If you had courage, you can step into any area of your life and improve it.
We all allow fear to drive our decision-making to some degree. Courage allows us to act in the face of fear – not eradicate it (important distinction).
When you learn how to act in the face of fear, you become unstoppable.
Becoming more courageous might just be the single greatest investment you could make.
Becoming More Couragous (8 Tips)
- You’re Not Alone – Every top performer experiences fear and anxiety. The goal is not to be fearless. It’s to feel the fear and do it anyway.
- Aristotle’s Mean – Find the right balance of courage. At one end you have ‘Cowardice’ and the other, ‘Reckless’. Shoot for the ‘Nervous but Excited’ middle ground.
- Be Willing to Fail – Every top performer fails more than a lesser performer. The greatest fail more than anyone. Failure is a stepping stone to success. Fail more.
- Face Your Fear – If you’re holding a shield, you’re protected facing forward (proactive), but you’re vulnerable turning back (reactive). Don’t turn away from challenges, face them head on.
- Trust The Process – Top performers have a more trusting mindset than lesser performers. They don’t indulge in negative self-talk and doubt, despite feeling it. Learn to manage the doubt and keep moving forward (See #1).
- Fear Into Excitement – If you have a positive expectation, you can’t experience fear. Identify the thoughts and expectations you have about a fear. Challenge yourself to find the positive potential in the outcome. Can you shift from negative to neutral? (Nervous but Excited). Once in neutral, challenge yourself to imagine a totally positive outcome (Excited). Something spectacular happens here.
- Infinite Possibilities – ALL of our potential exists on the other side of our comfort zone. Move from your comfort zone into infinite possibilities. Fear is an opportunity to experience our highest potential (true fulfilment). We become excited by fear. This mindset shift is so powerful – rather than avoiding painful things, we face them and say “Bring it on!“, as we want to grow and expand.
- Conquer Fear in 30 Seconds – Elite Special Forces are taught to manage fear through breathwork. Breathing can shift our nervous system from ‘Panic Mode’ to ‘Calm Mode’. Breathe only through your nose to your belly. The key is in the slow exhalation:
- Count in for 4, and out for 6 – Remember, fear leads to fulfilment.
- Count in for 4, and out for 6 – Think only of positive outcomes.
- Count in for 4, and out for 6 – Think “Bring it on!“
You need to practice this process. The more you practice, the stronger it will become. Try it next time you feel milder negative emotions like impatience, frustration or anger. It will not eradicate fear and that’s not the point. It’ll make you 10-20% more courageous and that might be enough to get you over the line.
Reflect and share this with someone.
ASK
If you’d like to become more courageous, consider the following questions:
“What ONE thing could I face that I’ve been putting off that I know would have a massive impact on my life?”
“What would a totally positive outcome look like if I just went for it?”
Write down what comes to mind.
TRY
It’s a BIG ‘Try’ this week. Facing fear is about as hard as it gets.
Take ONE step towards facing your fear.
The good news… fear rarely lives up to the status we give it. Standing up to it is a step into infinite possibilities and fulfilling your potential.
Think big. Dare to dream and go out and get it! 💪
Remember: Little by little, a little becomes a lot.
SHARE
Comment below and share how it went for you.
If you tried standing up to fear this week, COMMENT and share your wins with the world
