Truth Bomb Tuesday: Who is going to tell you to stop?
Let me give you something to aim for: You’ve got to hit your knock off point at least once a week.
That is, at least once a week, you need to say, “Yep, job done. Tools down.”
This is one of the traps when we first starting out as investors – actually I should say when we are first starting out as independent agents.
I’m talking about that moment when you stop answering to a boss – when you start being responsible for your own time and your own results.
Now I have a rule of thumb when new students come to me. I say that if you can’t block out at least two hours a week to put towards your journey as an investor, then you’re just not serious.
Seriously, some people want to put in just 15 minutes a week, and then retire by the end of the year! They are kidding themselves.
But for every student I’ve got who’s having a laugh, I’ve got one who is actually taking things a bit too seriously.
Many students come in and they hit the ground running. You can’t stop them. They’re putting every spare minute they’ve got towards honing their skills, researching deals, or getting on top of the resource materials.
That’s great, but sometimes it’s just not sustainable.
The trouble is that every spare minute is a minute that could be put towards creating the life you want to be living. Every minute is precious.
But if you don’t have a boss telling you when to start work and when to stop work, when do you ever stop?
Your boss is not going to tell you, your husband or wife is not going to tell you, and your bank manager is not going to call you up and say, “Hey buddy you can take it easy. You’ve made enough money this week.”
No, unfortunately it is your responsibility.
And so this is something that as new investors, as newly independent agents, we have to learn.
You have to pick a moment, at least once a week, where you clock yourself off.
You have to stop and go, “Yep I’ve done some great work this week. Time to hit the showers.”
This isn’t always easy. Sometimes the idea that every moment is precious is a tyranny. It never allows us to switch off.
But if we never learn how to switch off, then we will burn out sooner or later.
(And probably sooner.)
So this week I want you to watch out for that. Is there at least one moment where are you let yourself put your tools down?
And what I really mean there, is can you find a moment where you let everything relax out of your head?
(Your mind is the most important tool you own.)
Once you can do this and do it consistently, then you are on the way to real independence…
… and to being the best boss ever.
DB.