Reality Check - Posted by peteo-MD

Re: Excellent Post - Posted by Bryan-SactoCA

Posted by Bryan-SactoCA on December 20, 2002 at 22:15:09:

Yes, some people begin to realize what a mess their life is when they’re 35 or 40, but WHO THEY ARE doesn’t change. Instead, the thought pattern goes something like this: “I have all this great stuff but I hate my job and am a slave to my credit cards, so I need to get rich quick in order to pay off my credit cards so I can buy more neat stuff without having to work at this stupid job”. Then such a person comes here and wants to do lease options quick so they can get their money. See what I mean? They may realize that they’re deep in debt and hate their job, but who they are-a person who wants safety, security, and glittery stuff-doesn’t change. Investing is not for people who want safety and security, at least not in the traditional sense. And if they keep amassing bad debt, then they haven’t learned the difference between why RE debt is usually good and why unsecured credit card debt is usually bad. To them, all debt costs money, so they go out and make a bunch of money losing legally questionable deals and suddenly they’re facing prison time. They don’t know how to diferentiate between a good RE investment and a bad one. Such people are better off sticking to their jobs. We’ve all seen people come here who have atrocious English both spelling and grammar and lots of bad debt and a rock bottom FICO score and they want to know how to immediately jump in and do all sorts of complicated deals. Their goal is to get rich quick, not become a real estate investor. And as we all know get rich quick schemes usually involve legal and moral ambiguities that these people aren’t prepared to deal with. Not knowing the difference between and all the finer distinctions of what they’re doing, they rush in and end up bankrupt or worse in jail.

Re: nearly impossible - Posted by Brad (sd)

Posted by Brad (sd) on December 22, 2002 at 01:14:27:

Hey Bryan,
Check out the changes that happen in people about every 20 years or so in life. My mom turned me on to this idea when she turned 40. She told me that she felt the same way she did when why was 20, searching and thinking and trying to come up with something to believe in so she could live life. THen I observed my grandparents who are in their mid-sixties, talk about a change of who they are! Wow! They realized exactly what they wanted to be doing and now do it. My grandpa goes for a 2 hour walk every morning, reads a book a week, and is a MASTER cross-word guy. He just spends time with grandma and feeds his brain, he no longer worries about anything beside making sure grandma knows he loves her.

I dont know where I was really going with this but I dont think your in a position to make such a blanket statement about people not changing after age 25. When I’m 95, getting ready to sum it all up, then I MIGHT have an idea about what human nature is.

I do agree with you and Bob about becoming an entrepreneur though. Some people will never be able to lead their own financial lives because they lack motivation, maturity, maybe a level of honesty with themselves, and for these people its very usefull to work for a wage and provide for their families that way. Heck, its possible I’ll earn a salary for the rest of my life and I’ve always thought I was more mature than my age warranted. Maybe I’ll figure out that I would rather travel with no money for the next 30 years? Who knows. I guess there arent very many sure things, thats all.

Well, I dont think I communicated my view very well,but hopefully it came across in bits!?!

-Brad