Poor kid to rich investor: Turning life’s toughest lessons into investor gold
The year 2020 may go down in history as the year of disruption. Nothing is the way it was, and none of us know what the hell is coming next.
But, if we really think about it, did we ever? There are very few certainties in life, but one of them has to be that we never really know what’s around the corner. That’s true in health, love and – my biggest passion – real estate.
Here I want to prove to you that some of life’s toughest lessons, darkest days and worst situations, can equip us with the skills we need to achieve the kind of success we dream about. I know it’s true because I grew up as the poorest kid in a very rich neighbourhood and have had my fair share of bumps along the road to success.
So, get a cup of tea, get comfy and get ready to learn some gold-plated lessons that could set you on the path to making money and being a successful property investor.
LESSON 1: SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE A-TEAM
If you want to be wealthy and successful, you need to be around people who already are. My dad knew this and put it into practice when he bought the worst house, in the best neighbourhood. Growing up poor, but surrounded by the very rich, wasn’t always a walk in the park. Driving around in my Dad’s Datsun Sunny was tough when every other car in the street was a Mercedes. But, when my dad took out a mortgage on a house he couldn’t afford, in a neighbourhood he didn’t belong in, he made it possible for his kids to grow up surrounded by billionaires. My friend’s parents were rich and successful and I benefited from them and their knowledge. Being surrounded by the A-Team shows you what’s possible – and that can be your first step in achieving your own success. While we can’t all move to a rich suburb, we can seek out the experts, the leaders in their field, and learn from them in order to grow in our own lives. Find those people and pay attention. You might learn a thing or two.
LESSON 2: MONEY ISN’T MADE IN YOUR POCKET
My dad was a market trader and he woke up early every day to go and make a living. He’d work all day and come home with piles and piles of small bills. It was my job to count them, and that was my first education around money. I learned that to make money meant to work hard, to trade, and to go to market – it wasn’t to keep the wealth you had in your pocket.
Most of us are never given a financial education. It’s not taught in schools, just as how to buy real estate to accumulate wealth isn’t taught in schools. But the sooner we can start to learn about money and how it’s made, the sooner we can figure out the ways we want to make that wealth happen for us.
LESSON 3: YOU ARE YOUR OWN FUTURE
Let’s be honest, it’s a tough time right now and a lot of people are stressed about job security and their financial future. Some are waking up just weeks away from not being able to pay their rent or mortgage. My early life taught me that as soon as I could invest, I could replace my income. That was my early teachings. But what I also learned, and still know to be true, is you have to believe in yourself. You are your own future and you have to create it. Tough times create a mentally tough mind, which I believe is part of the psychology of being a property investor. To any person struggling right now, especially young people trying to find work, just remember that this time will make you tougher and more resilient, which if you want to invest in property, is a skill you’ll use every day.
LESSON 4: NEVER GIVE UP
Where there is life, there is hope. In other words, even when things seem completely hopeless, they rarely are. Having resilience and a backbone that drives you forward, even through the toughest of trials, is a good tool to have. I learnt this at different points in my life – like when I was sent to a Bavarian prison, or was living with refugees in Sweden. Now, not everyone has to go to these extremes to learn that things can always get better, but it worked for me. (Listen to my podcast to get the gritty details. Suffice to say I lived to tell the tale!).
LESSON 5: PEOPLE MATTER – BUT SO DO PLACES
People, those we love and need, matter. But so do places, and this is one of the biggest lessons I have learned through my work as a property expert. Places can change the way people live, how they play and how they grow. If you take a person, and put them in a better place, they can be happier, wealthier and more educated. This, for me, is what real estate is all about. Places helping people to lead better lives.
Real estate and property investment can be a gateway to a lifetime of opportunity and abundance – and ultimately, isn’t that what we all want?
To find out more on how you can use real estate to create a strong and wealthy financial future, register now to attend our free Positive Real Estate Property Investing Seminar.
Here you’ll be equipped with the tools, resources and support to thrive, and not fall behind on your path to financial freedom – whatever that may look like for you.
Book your spot now and find out what you need to know about the current market landscape and how you can make it work for the ultimate wealth creation opportunities.
Sam Saggers
Co Founder Positive Real Estate
