own your audacity

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Jul 06 12:56 PM posted by author Danisha Danielle

“Two purchases in a month??”
“Can you afford that??”
“Are you crazy!?”

I had more than my share of doubters when I decided to buy a home and investment property in the same month of my 25th birthday. My father was terrified. My friends thought I was nuts. Even my loan broker questioned my decision and told me that she had never done a loan for a first-time home buyer and an investment property at the same time. Much to my surprise, there were other brokers that insisted that it wasn’t a good time to buy one property let alone two because the market was “too high.”  The only person that thought I was doing the right thing was my mentor, Jonathan Weiss.

I’d be lying if I said that there weren’t moments where my own doubt crept in during those 30 short days of escrow, but my mind was made up. Win or lose, I was going to go for it.  In a whirlwind of a few weeks and some hefty mounds of paperwork, I became a home-owner and a landlord and was barely old enough to rent a car.  I remember laying in bed the first night that I closed escrow as an owner (instead of a broker) in a panic. I had made the best move of my financial career at that point but it sure didn’t feel like it.

OWN YOUR AUDACITY
The purchases of my home and first investment property were ultimately the vehicles that allowed me to buy and sell multiple apartment buildings as an investor in the years that followed.  I sold the 4-unit investment property that I purchased a couple of years later for double the price that I purchased it for and exchanged into a 16-unit building.  While there was a point in my life that it was unbelievable to me that I would own anything, it is now unbelievable to me that I own 50 units.  Those two purchases in that month were the launching pad that allowed me to financially provide for my daughter, help friends and family, make steps towards securing my retirement, and pursue other dreams of mine.  Becoming an investor also greatly improved my ability to broker transactions for my clients and catapulted my commissions to the point that I was able to build a team of successful agents. I left the firm I started with after 5 years and now run Hoston & Associates, Inc. - a top ranked team of commercial agents within Keller Williams Commercial.
 
There are many stories of tragedy and triumph. I share this part of my story with you for no other reason except to serve as an example of, “If I can do it, so can you.” There were more days than I care to remember that were filled with doubt and fear.  Like most other people, I have experienced anxiety, insecurity, depression, loneliness, abandonment, betrayal, tragedy, heartbreak and, of course, failure.  It is during our darkest days that we are either motivated or defeated.  Our challenge is determine which voice we will allow to direct our actions because our actions will ultimately determine our results.

Needless to say, I am thrilled that I decided to purchase those properties.  When I think back, I can see why so many people thought I was nuts and, if nothing else, a little naïve.  I’m beyond thankful, however, that my experience (or lack of experience) weren’t able to stop me from taking a risk.  In spite of hearing many conflicting voices, I am happy that my own inner voice was the voice that I followed. 

If you have a goal that you believe is unattainable, I urge you to make a decision now that the goal is possible or else it would not exist within you.  There will always be detractors, negativity, obstacles, and setbacks.  Remind yourself that when other people detract from your dreams and criticize your goals, they are speaking about what is true for them – NOT you.  It is ultimately up to you to own your own audacity and – win or lose – go after a goal that is worth the risk without excuse or apology.  In hindsight, my only regret is that I wasn’t bolder…  If I knew that I wouldn’t fail, perhaps I would own hundreds of units by now.  

"Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.”
– Sydney Smith

REMEMBER:

Every goal that has ever been achieved started with somebody who believed it was possible and made steps and took risks to make it so.

Your inner voice is connected to your purpose and should be the first voice that you listen to.

There will always be detractors and negativity.  Who cares?

YOUR TURN:  IF YOU KNEW THAT YOU WOULD NOT FAIL, WHAT GOAL WOULD YOU SET OUT TO ACHIEVE TODAY?