5 Questions to Help You Determine Your Intentions for Investing

By Richard Dolan

“People don’t buy what you do, or how you do it; they buy why you do it.” – Simon Sinek

During a recent family vacation my son Mateo noticed a famous basketball player walking into the lobby of the hotel where we were staying. I was consumed by another task as Mateo tugged and pulled for my attention to join him in shaking the hand of this seven-foot-tall NBA megastar. I encouraged him to run and do as he wished, not able to effectively handle the task at hand and connect with the player he desperately wanted to meet. As the player continued to walk, creating more distance between Mateo and himself, I could see the his apprehension.

With one swift kick, he was off to shake hands with this sport’s great. About ten minutes later, Mateo returned with a look on his face that I will never forget. He was so proud. The best part was – no one saw him do it. I realized that he didn’t do it because he was asked, expected, or pressured. He did it for his reasons, on his own, and in his own way. When he returned he was quick to share with me his photo of his star-struck moment where he maintained the same ‘wow’ face. I asked him how he would describe the look on his face, and he said, “Wow, what a rush.’

His words struck my mind like a bolt of lightning and resonated like thunder. In that moment, I was re-awakened to the reason I first got into the education business over twenty years ago. For Mateo, it wasn’t about a photo opportunity, it was about the thrill of doing something that he was afraid of doing, but did it anyways without constraint. Like the old adage goes, “Love as though hurt doesn’t exist, and dance as though no one is watching.” Living moment to moment with a ‘what a rush’ feeling is a guiding principle for living life.

With that in mind, Don, Patrick and the team aligned and agreed to looking out towards 2015 and beyond with one question in mind: How do we produce for members and real estate investors an educative-experience that leaves them with ‘wow, what a rush’?

To answer this question, and to begin equipping ourselves to fulfill on this mission, we hired the world’s leading authority on designing, developing and deploying breakthrough thinking for businesses. Anurag Gupta and Nicholas Banks, founders of The Difference Engine, are infamous for having played critical roles in the rise of Joey’s Restaurants and Lululemon, and Anurag was a top ranked Landmark Forum Leader for over 10 years. Together they lead in the world of breakthrough thinking for businesses looking to fulfill on their brand promise and service intention without compromise. They led us through a process that began to codify what it would take for us to fulfill on this desired outcome for ourselves as business leaders, teachers and, most importantly, for our members.

Anurag told us it begins with defining your intention: ‘a thing intended; an aim or plan.’

During a two-day conversation, Gupta stated clearly that, “Intention is the DNA of everything.” He continued to share how:

“Your intention is the source and heart of everything; there is nothing more important. You don’t know anything and you’re full of shit is the foundation to getting there. If it is your intention, it will be. There is your default intention; as in just getting by. There are counter intentions and even poor intentions. Intention generates everything: physically, emotionally and chemically – getting clear about your intention is getting clear on the root and cause of what will produce your success in anything in life.”

This made us step back and ask: As a REIN member, how does your intention show up in real estate investing and life?

To really get clear on what it means to have an intention worth living for, picture yourself in this scenario: You get a call from your best friend who is planning a trip for all of your friends to a cottage in the country this coming weekend and you’re invited. However, you don’t have the time nor can you afford it, so, with regrets, you pass. But then your brother calls and says he just got engaged and is getting married in Vegas this weekend and they want you to be the best man! Now what’s your intention? YOU’RE IN! How is that possible? You made it your intention and, therefore, will find the resolve to make it so. To realize your intention with resolve is to do something with firm determination.

In life, business, and all other pursuits you must always begin with a clear intention set before you so you can look through it like a lens and filter all that life throws your way, just as Mateo saw nothing more than merely shaking the hand of the seven-foot-great.

During our time with Gupta, he challenged us to ask ourselves, “What feeling would you want people you educate, empower, and equip in the world of REIN be left with?”

We all agreed that we wanted members feeling empowered, elevated, inspired, fulfilled, accomplished, secure, confident, richer in self-worth, hopeful, capable, happy, believing, optimistic, equipped, complete and grounded…just to start with.

You, as a real estate investor or real estate investment professional should try this exercise for yourself. If you are looking to get started in real estate investing, begin with asking yourself, “Why?” If you are already in real estate, ask yourself, “Why do I remain?” And if you are masterful at real estate, perhaps ask yourself, “Why would I continue?”

The idea here is not to arrive at an esoteric response or an abstract conversation. Rather, to arrive to where your why lives; your intention for being in real estate investing.

For us at REIN, we began to realize, as industry leaders, it is one thing to call ourselves Presidents, CEO’s and co-founders, but we would much rather earn the privilege of leading you into a deeper conversation about real estate investing, as a opposed to just being the lead on the subject matter. And it isn’t about how we do it, or what exactly we invest in. The resolve of a real estate investor lives at the heart of why you invest, the intention you wish to fulfill through investing in real estate, and the “wow, what a rush” feeling it provides you and those you love.

As a real estate investor investing in real estate for yourself, on behalf of others or with many, ask yourself:

1. Am I providing my family, friends, lenders, investors and joint venture partners with a “wow, what a rush” experience through supporting me?
2. Am I clear on why they are investing or joint venturing with me?
3. Am I clear on what it means to them on a personal, emotional, familial and financial level…really?
4. Are they clear that I know this?
5. How do I communicate what I know about their “why” to get the conversation started about real estate investing? (Look at your emails, voicemails, presentations, collaterals, website and other forms of communicating your stand for yourself, your family or investors.)

Your responses will provide a framework for you to reference when looking at your real estate investment practice.

In closing, consider what the famous philosopher Martin Heidegger once wrote, “Man acts as though he were the shaper and master of language, while in fact language remains the master of man.”

Richard Dolan is the President of REIN and the resident expert on Performance for real estate investors and professionals. Addicted to producing results, Richard is an expert on raising funds, building brand and strategy with one aim: to produce competitive immunity. Reach Richard at Richard@reincanada.com.