Beyond The Comfort Zone

Our success is largely dependent in our ability to do things beyond our comfort zone. Whenever we are faced with uncertainty or a difficult decision, our “inner voice” protects us from physical and emotional harm and hold us back. That is why in life, most of us settle for mediocrity.

In a book appropriately titled Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway (written by Dr. Susan Jeffers), the author describes how our fears are converted to sweet anticipation when we condition ourselves to push against the things that hold us back. It is helpful to accept certain truths about fear. She states “pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness.”

This is a truth that I ask myself anytime I am faced with an uncomfortable decision to do something that I know would be for the better. Whether that decision involves making an offer on a property, speaking in front of an audience, or approaching a potential client in business, I take a moment to realize whether the fear for having to try and fail is greater than the failure to try anything at all.

Profit Center #2: Leverage

In a nutshell, leverage is being able to use a small amount of money to purchase a large asset. An asset such as real estate, for example, may be purchased by investing only 25% of your own money (equity) and borrowing 75% from the bank (mortgage) . In essence, your money works harder because every dollar that is invested equals four dollars in assets. The equity in the property increases as the property appreciates in value, but the amount borrowed does not increase. Best of all, you can borrow up to 75% of the equity to buy more properties.

Investments such as stocks and mutual funds require 100% equity and cannot be borrowed against to buy more stocks. In essence, every dollar invested is a dollar spent.