Finding the path to becoming your best self —Takes a survival Instinct

What is a “Value-Driven Investor?”

A “Value-Driven Investor” is someone who leads by giving. 

This person sees an opportunity to invest Time, Energy or Money into an idea or asset.

They make their investment in hopes of receiving a positive impact on the world and themselves.

A Value-Driven Investor will invest their time, energy and/or money into an idea. When you make this deposit, you expect a positive impact on the world and/or a positive return on your investment.

Becoming a “Value-Driven Investor” is your mind shift towards a lifetime of learning and giving.

Committed to "Life On Your Terms" and the pursuit of becoming your "Best Self."

To achieve your goal you must start somewhere. That somewhere is the Survival Phase.

The Survival Phase

Your first step to becoming a Value-Driven Investor starts in the Survival Phase. Just like an animal lost in the jungle you are scared, confused, lost and desperate to find your way. The decisions you make in this phase of becoming a Value-Driven Investor will determine your fate.

Countless times I have heard about people who are in the survival phase, searching for their path… They invest thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars trying to find their way in the jungle we call real estate investing. People just like you. Investing in information courses online, investing thousands to attend a 3 day seminar thinking it will change their life and who knows how much of your time is invested in searching for the answers to HOW you can become a real estate investor.

You are not alone, I have done all these things since 2003 when I first started my journey to become a real estate investor. Today, after a lot of pain and countless learning lessons… I can tell you the first question you must ask yourself is:

WHY?

Simon Sinek wrote the book, “Start With Why.” I highly recommend you read this book and start thinking about your fundamental reasons for becoming a Value-Driven Investor.

Over the years, my WHY has been the single reason I have never quit my real estate investing journey. In the beginning I couldn’t tell you WHY I was so passionate about real estate investing. But as I became more self-aware and understood who I was as a person and what I needed to “Life Life On My Terms” I realized real estate and real estate investing allowed me to achieve all those things.

“You can’t reach big goals if you don’t have a big WHY”

“Life On My Terms”

That’s my WHY.

I’ll never forget my first job out of college. I was a young kid who just graduated and landed at home in the basement of my parents home. It was at this point in my life where I needed to figure it all out. That’s scary!

I just got done having the time of my life in college. Playing college hockey, hanging out with the boys, going out on the weekends, busting my butt to get good grades so one day… I could be right where I am now. In the basement of my parents house trying to figure out the rest of my life.

The question that kept creeping into my head, “Murph, what are you going to do for the rest of your life. How are you going to make money. So you can get out of your parents basement and take care of yourself.”

At some point, we have all been in the basement. Where someone else is taking care of us instead of us taking care of ourselves. It is a desperate feeling. One that makes you doubt yourself and question how it is possible to find your path in life.

It’s because of this doubt you are feeling. That’s WHY it’s so important for you to identify your BIG WHY.

The one thing you are after in your life.

The one thing you will never quit on because you know it’s burning inside you.

For me, while I was in the survival phase… It was “Life On My Terms.”

Why Real Estate

Achieving “Life On My Terms” was not going to be an easy task. I knew this back in 2003 and I still know it today. Each and every day is a struggle. Not with others — But with yourself. Because achieving a “Life On Your Terms” starts with and will always be about your mindset.

No matter how much success you have in life. Your mind will always tell you “I need more” or “Look where they are” it’s in these thoughts where you forget to appreciate what you have done in the past. Because you are to busy judging yourself in regards to what you hope to do in the future.

This is a slippery slope all entrepreneurs face on their journey.

For me, I had always been good at everything I’ve done. When I was a young kid I was gifted with athletic ability. I won all the track meets I was enter into when I was 7, 8, 9 years old. I remember the shoe box I had full of blue ribbons. There had to be 30 of them. Because I was entered into 10 different event every year and I always seem to find a way to win. Competition was a god given talent. I loved to compete and I loved to win.

In high school, at Apple Valley, I played 3 varsity sports as a sophomore: football, baseball and hockey in a school with over 2,500 students. Along the way I was lucky to be on two state championship teams. My sophomore year I played on a state championship football team. While my senior year I played on a state championship hockey team.

Now, if you don’t know anything about Minnesota hockey. Well, then you don’t know how big of a deal it is to win the state hockey tournament in Minnesota.

My point, both these teams were really good and allowed me to be around amazing people, with amazing talent, who love winning.

This taste of winning in sports taught me about what it takes to win in life.

I knew for me, winning in life meant leading a life on my terms.

After reading the book “Retire Young — Retire Rich” by Robert Kiyosaki I realized real estate was the perfect vehicle for me to achieve my WHY and live the life I was meant to.

Real estate would allow me the opportunity and flexibility to do what I want, when I want and how I wanted to.

The hardest part, I needed to figure out HOW I was going to pull it off.

The words you tell yourself matter

It was in the book, “Retire Young — Retire Rich” where I came to appreciate that the words you use create the world you live in. If you are always looking at the world with a negative mindset. Seeing a world where everyone is out to get you and there is no way you will ever be successful because it is, “To Hard.”

Well, then that is the reality you will create for yourself.

Trust me, I know… I was there.

Because after having so much success as a young high school kid in sports.

Life decided to take all my athletic gifts away.

It was in this moment of my life where I needed to decided on my MINDSET:

Positive or Negative