In the military this quote holds true as planning is the bedrock of any military operation. We all know that planning is only the beginning, butexecuting the plan is the key! Too often people fall in love with their plan and can’t adapt or the other extreme occurs in which the plan is dismissed from the very beginning. Before taking any major action, having a solid plan is important, but don’t fall prey to “Analysis Paralysis” into a steady state of inactivity.

Patience is a virtue, at the early onset of this adventure I forced friendly reminders to myself that this is a marathon and not a sprint. The intention is not to seek “millionaire status,” but to become financially independent. In order to seek that independence from the “rat race” of life is to have a plan, a means, and goals to pursue. The plan…

Of all the important pieces of my coveted plan, I emphasized a lot on education and self-improvement. There is a laundry list of Real Estate Investing and self-help books, podcasts, Youtube videos, etc in which we will be discussed in future posts. In an age of information, subject matter experts and people with experience are readily available to get started on your quest. I did just that. And here is how I approached my plan.

Step 1: Write your life goal. What is it that you truly seek? Do you want to be financially independent within a certain number of years? Do you want to break away from your 9-5 work day to enjoy other things in life? Do you value wealth beyond currency and monetary value?

My Plan – My life goal is to achieve financial independence and the ability to leave more for my children. I want to focus energy on Real Estate investing because it is tangible and in my opinion one of the more exciting asset classes to invest in.

Step 2: Understand yourself better than anyone or anything else. My career in the military has emphasized this more than anything else whether it is through rigorous and arduous physical testing or battle of wits when emotionally and physically exhausted. I am not saying go on a “spirit quest” to know yourself better under extreme pressure, but simply highlighting the importance of knowing the “true you.” For example, are you introverted/extroverted, are you detail-oriented/abstract, etc. These tests are readily available on the internet, such as the Carl Jung/Isabel Briggs Myers’ test.

My Plan – My strengths reside in analytics, networking, discipline, and hard work approach to complex problems. I am mostly extroverted, externally stimulated, but razor focused when honed in on a task.

Step 3: Outline/Frame Your Strategy. Treat this is a brain storming session and fact-finding. Outlining or Framing your strategy in a way that makes sense to you initially, but be prepared to refine it for others to understand. This step is important as a backbone to your 1-minute “Elevator Pitch” or articulating the gist of your business. Further, it may highlight your own education shortfalls and weakness. I encourage to do an initial draft and seek out answers to your “information gaps” and then refine the outline. Start with a company statement and answer the “WHY” question for your business. Then write down your short/mid-term goals such as 2 and 5 year goals. You may want to write longer term goals, but may likely see your goals shift on an annual basis. Afterwards, focus on the tenets of your business: finances, management, acquisition, income streams, legal, etc.

My Plan – I followed this step by step approach over the span of 9 months (with a “work trip” in the middle). After I felt comfortable in my ability to convey my plan I sent it to my mentor for scrutiny. Since then I have reworked my plan several times to its present day status. I view this as a living document that will evolve as my business and reality involves. Like Bruce Lee once said, “Be formless. Shapeless. Like water.”

Step 4: Reflect and Educate. At this point information gaps will either be obvious or slowly illuminate. Whether it is lack of understanding of financing your projects, sourcing lead pools, interviewing contractors/property managers, or even seeking legal advice, these are all in support of laying a solid foundation of a longer adventure. Immerse yourself in education through reading, podcasts, videos, sitting with mentor(s), and network to fill those gaps. Remember to play to your strengths and seek others to assist with your weaknesses. You may not have enough time to fix your weaknesses, so focus a majority of your time on sharpening your strengths. So learn to leverage the help of others.

My Plan – I immersed myself in podcasts such as “Bigger Pockets” and “Passive Real Estate Income.” For building my financial acumen, I grew up listening and reading the advice of known entities such as Zig Zigler or Dave Ramsey. My educational philosophy is to remain open and well-rounded. If I can learn various techniques, understand, and exercise some or most then it will make me a better Real Estate Investor. And now for more cliches, it’s all about getting “more tools in your toolbox.”

The Bottom Line is that your plan is what you make of it and the output is only as good the inputs. Ultimately seize your fate, chase your goals, and grow in the process. Most people will say it comes down to making that first deal and simply taking action, but having a sound plan is vital to taking the right steps along this incredible journey.