Don't Half-Ass It
Alright .. Alright .. Alright
I had enjoyed Matthew McConaughey's movie enough to get me to purchase his autobiography, Greenlights, on Audible a couple years ago. I found myself binging the book and listening to it in about 3 days. Little did I know the depth of the man who uttered “Alright, Alright, Alright” as a Dazed and Confused David Wooderson back in 1993.
Over the weekend, while scrolling thru Instagram, I was stopped by a 20 second clip where he provides some sage advice. Sage enough, that I forwarded it to my sons.
“Don't half-ass it. Boy that never goes out of style. Think about it .. if you are going to do something, if you've chosen to do something. Whatever it is. Easy. Hard. If you give it your all and you don't half-ass it. Win, lose, draw .. get what you want, don't get what you want .. whatever the outcome is. If you don't half-ass it, at least you're not going to have to wonder if the outcome would have been different. Wondering about that is what will keep you up at night.”
When we apply ourselves fully, giving our all to every endeavor, we eliminate the haunting question of "What if?"
Truth be told, I’ve spent too many days and night pondering that question. A question that keeps me focused on the past and lingering in the headspace of regret.
It’s time to eliminate the ‘what ifs?’
I just started reading “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” by Robing Sharma. In this fable, Sharma tells of a burnt out lawyer who give it all away, travels East and becomes a Monk. With respect to dwelling on past failures/setbacks, the Monk’s yogi shares ..
“Never regret your past. Rather, embrace it as the teacher that it is. … Worry drains the mind of much of its power and, sooner or later, it injures the soul.”
Perhaps, McConaughey learned from the same yogi.
What I have experienced these last several years as I’ve pivoted from the life of a real estate agent to one of an investor has taught me that the difference between success and failure often lies in the level of dedication.
Comprehensive market research, meticulous financial analysis, and thorough due diligence in every transaction demonstrate a full-hearted approach that minimizes risk and maximizes potential gains.
As I am preparing my 2023 taxes and reviewing each of the deals I closed, it's evident in the numbers that I was meticulous in most deals that turned a decent profit, but lackadaisical with respect to the Ocean City condo.
I was wooed with the notion of flipping a condo at the beach. I spent a bit too much time enjoying the beach and hoping the numbers would work out.
I can acknowledge now, that I for sure half-assed the OC project in half-a-dozen ways, from winging the ARV analysis, to underestimating the scope of work, to not understanding the dynamic of market timing with respect to seasonal properties.
Yogi Matthew's wisdom is a timely reminder that in whatever we choose to do, giving it our all not only maximizes our chances of success but also ensures peace of mind, knowing we've left no stone unturned in our efforts to achieve our goals.
ALRIGHT .. ALRIGHT .. ALRIGHT