Author Archive
The Destroyer of Happiness
Posted on September 18, 2017 byIn this article, I will go over a life-threatening thinking disease most of us have (but are unaware), a way to cure that disease, and immediate actions you can take to cultivate happiness.
For the majority of my life I was plagued with a disease. This disease was the root of much pain and regret, along with endless rumination and misery. I was pursuing a career as a musician and was fixated on the material wealth, vanity, and approval of others. Deep down inside I was truly empty.
I was never happy with any and all aspects of myself and my life, as a result of this self-hatred I criticized myself, family and friends, pushed everyone away, and sabotaged anything good in my life. What masked the underlying issues was a pattern of nit picking everything to avoid taking a good look at myself and the baggage I was holding onto. What troubled me most was that I had the most beautiful life and an abundance of happiness right in front of me, but I was plagued with NGE. Read More→
How To Do More With Less
Posted on August 10, 2017 byIf you’ve been reading my articles then you know that I like to write about philosophy and self-help topics more than the topic of investing and there is a reason for this. Even though I love to talk deals, in my experience I have found no matter what you are investing in, the act of investing is just another piece of the puzzle in the grand scheme.
We spend our days investing in lots of things. Many times, we spend so much time focusing on what we should be doing, how we should be acting and who we should be associating with that we get wrapped up in almost a mindless pattern fixated on material acquisitions.
Again, I go back to the idea that there is no sanctuary that you will arrive at. You won’t wake up and just be a different person that has a bunch of money and lives all the desires that you want. Even if you became a millionaire overnight in stocks, you still had to work for that change. Read More→
The Illusion of the Destination
Posted on July 13, 2017 byIn this article, I want to discuss a simple way to develop peace within, while in the midst of the chaos that many of us live.
We spend our lives thinking that there is some end goal, some place where we can be that will finally bring total happiness. Then to get there we set crazy goals that consume most if not all our time.
You know the saying, “live like no one else today, so you can live like no one else tomorrow” a popular Dave Ramsey quote that is interesting to ponder. There is nothing wrong with dreams, setting goals, and hard work but the illusion that there is some destination, or some sanctuary that will save you is what I’m addressing here. Read More→
The Question No One Asked – Part 2
Posted on June 8, 2017 byI know last month’s article was a little depressing but it was important and here’s why: We take daily actions in pursuit of a better life, to move away from pain and towards happiness, while the underlying emotions of fear and greed drive us. It is within these actions that we should investigate and become aware of their effects. The “better life” has a price and that price is unknown. The “better life” is culturally conditioned.
I remember one time when I was a kid I was grounded for the day, and I sat at my window staring out with my nose pressed as close to the screen as possible to feel any fresh air and sunlight I could. Seeing and hearing the other kids playing brought feelings of anger, fear, jealousy, and envy. I wanted to be outside so bad. But I sat and endured.
The idea behind that story was that there was plenty to do in my room to keep me busy while grounded. But I wanted to be outside, I wanted to be with other people. Deeper within was the fear of missing out on life and the fear of being alone. Read More→
The Question No One Asked
Posted on May 9, 2017 byFrom as early as I can remember, the same obstacles have reappeared in my life, taunting me…never feeling satisfied, never feeling good enough, never getting ahead. Even the greatest opportunities one could ask for were sabotaged, and once again the chance to be happy slipped through my fingers. As words and teaching were given, I couldn’t see through the fog of my own delusions and as I yearned for change, I was trapped, imprisoned by shackles of my own creation.
This adversity brought me to the most important question I’ve come to ask.
This won’t be the standard real estate investing topic, in fact it may not have much to do with real estate. The topic emphasis is focused on you and I, and the choices we make in life that create pain and pleasure for ourselves. Read More→
Is Exchanging Really That Easy?
Posted on July 7, 2014 byThis is my first time writing for Dustin’s newsletter, and I’m very excited to have the opportunity.
Wayne Arnold and Peter Fortunato started an exchange meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida, about fourteen years ago. I have had the honor of working closely with them both over the past 2 years and I am now attempting to get the concepts and ideas from this meeting out into more people’s hands, and I believe that the idea of exchanging is more vital at this moment in history than it has been before. It is a harsh business environment out there and as entrepreneurs we need to adapt, learn, and persevere using new ideas and tools to ensure our success.
From what I have heard, exchanging has been viewed as an advanced theory or for advanced investors only; yet being an uneducated blue-collar Joe from Philadelphia I somehow managed to make a few deals at our Thursday morning exchange meeting. I can tell you it’s advanced, but not insurmountable. Just as when we were kids driving seemed daunting and scary at first and we watched others in awe, you just have to learn the rules of the road. Driving is now second nature—you don’t even have to think anymore, you just drive. Many people come to our exchange meeting and leave confused. Believe me, I understand. I went to that meeting every week for a year straight until it finally dawned on me what was going on. The majority of that year was spent thinking and asking questions. Most of the time I was thinking that I had nothing to offer, and no one wanted anything that I had. I had no money or any skills…I felt kind of useless. It took going to all of Pete’s seminars and working with Wayne and studying under the legends and then applying the knowledge at the meeting. Read More→
