Here’s Why You Should EMBRACE Obstacles

By Brent Roberts

As real estate investors, it seems like every single day we face one obstacle or another. Even those “guru” real estate investors who seem to have achieved the pinnacle of investing also face obstacles.

As you read through this issue, you’ll hear stories from all kinds of investors who have struggled and ultimately overcome their obstacles to achieve growth.

Unfortunately, most investors view obstacles as a frustration, a challenge, and a thing to be avoided, and they spend a lot of time trying to delay obstacles. They move forward in their investing until they hit an obstacle, which either stops the investor dead in their tracks (for a while or even for good).

Obstacles Aren’t That Bad

By nature, humans are wired to avoid obstacles, challenges, frustrations, and problems. We naturally default toward the path of least resistance. That’s not a bad plan for the most part (and it probably kept humans alive in ancient days when life was more dangerous).

But I like to think that obstacles are really just opportunities, and I’d like to give you four ways to understand an obstacle so you can overcome it and actually benefit from it!

#1. An Obstacle Is An Opportunity To Get Educated

As you read this article, you aren’t giving any thought to the fact that you CAN read. But there was a time in your life when understanding the letters and words on a page would have been an obstacle to keep you from reading. Fortunately, you learned how to read. The same goes for many other things you do – from driving a car to doing your job… even to putting on your clothes in the morning! They were all obstacles at one point but you got educated in them and now they are second nature.

The same goes for the obstacles you face in real estate investing. The “guru” investors faced the same obstacles that you’re facing now but they got educated and now those former obstacles are just second nature. When you encounter something you can’t do, congratulations! You’ve discovering an “on-the-fly” curriculum in the school of hard knocks. Use the obstacle as an indicator that you need to learn something. Seek out mentors, advisors, and peers who can help you.

#2. An Obstacle Is An Opportunity To Build A Network

Newbie investors often start investing with the idea that they can do it all. However, any seasoned veteran of the investing world will tell you that it’s simply not the case. Investors rely on people like contractors, property managers, and real estate agents to help them invest. When I started to invest, whenever I encountered a problem I would first think about what needed to be solved and then I would ask myself, “Who can help me solve this?” Sometimes I’d meet a mentor to help educate me (see #1, above) and sometimes I’d meet a service provider or professional who could solve the problem for me. In this way I built a large network of great people who help me invest and who I can make great referrals for.

#3. An Obstacle Is An Opportunity To Build A System

Systems are ways to complete a series of steps without really thinking about it. If you’re not a morning person then you probably have a system where you pull yourself out of bed half asleep and stumble half-consciously through your morning routine. Half an hour later, you’re in the car with a coffee in hand and you’re wearing clothes that match. Congratulations! You have a system to help you overcome the obstacle of the morning!

In investing, systems might include a habit or routine, a checklist, or even a software application that can automate something for you. When I’m looking at a property that I’m thinking of acquiring, I use a checklist to run through all the things that I want to watch for before I invest in that property. As you encounter obstacles – especially if you encounter the same one multiple times – find or build a system that you can use.

#4. An Obstacle Is An Opportunity To Profit

If I haven’t yet convinced you that you should embrace obstacles, here’s another reason: obstacles are opportunities to profit! Renters face an obstacle – they are unable to (or unwilling to) buy a house. As a rental property owner, you can overcome a renter’s obstacle by renting a property to them. And this is true even beyond rental – any and every real estate investing strategy is someone else’s obstacle that becomes your opportunity to profit.

This is what makes real estate investing so powerful: There are several proven models of investing (flipping, buy and holds, etc.) and they’re all someone else’s obstacle. YOU overcome the obstacle of buying a property because a renter can’t, or YOU overcome the obstacle of fixing up a property because a future homeowner can’t. All you need to do is determine what your strengths and skills are which will enable you to help someone else.

Summary

There aren’t many guarantees in real estate investing but here’s one of them: you WILL encounter obstacles along the way. Obstacles never go away; new ones just keep popping up. Fortunately, if you change your mind set about obstacles, you’ll discover that your investing business becomes so much stronger and more successful when you embrace obstacles and use them as an opportunity get educated, build a network, build a system, and even profit!

Brent Roberts started to invest in real estate and bought his first “door” at the age of 18.  Brent owned 18 houses prior to becoming a realtor. He decided to take the real estate course in the late 1980’s to become a more educated buyer. He was then convinced to become an agent and has never looked back.  Contact Brent at brent@brentroberts.com.

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