Become the Opportunity
This post is adapted from one of my recent talks at @TheBrkthru.
I’ve taken the core ideas, stories, and lessons shared live and shaped them into a more structured written format, while keeping the heart of the message intact.
The room contained people at different stages of life and business, but the underlying question was the same for everyone: how do you stop chasing opportunities and start creating them?
What follows is a refined version of that conversation, built from real experience, real setbacks, and real breakthroughs, meant to be read slowly, reflected on, and applied.
And YES, the video link to the replay is at the bottom. Hope you find value in this message, I know it is something that has impacted me greatly.
Dang, we’re getting old….
This was unexpected, a comment that caught me off guard.
It was pointed out that some of us had been in real estate since before social media even existed, lol, kind of.
Yes, some of us are officially becoming the “old timers.” But underneath that moment was something deeper.
It reminded me how much has changed, and how much hasn’t.
Markets evolve. Technology shifts. Strategies come and go.
But the real question has always stayed the same:
How do you create what it is you actually want to create in your life and business? [Hint: Proven Principles]
Wherever You’re Starting From Is Not the Problem
I want to start here, because this matters more than most people realize.
Wherever you’re starting from right now: You may feel behind, uncertain, overwhelmed, discouraged and I understand, but that place is not disqualifying you.
If you’re willing to put in the work and do what’s required, you can create something different.
That’s not hype. That’s proven.
My Story Didn’t Start Polished
I’ve been in real estate for about 18 years. I’ve written books, built an Inc. 5000 company, raised over $50 million in private capital, and helped thousands of people invest along the way.
But none of that is where my story began.
I spent most of my twenties drifting.
No goals. No vision. No real direction.
I spent more time fishing and drinking beer than thinking about my future.
What I didn’t realize at the time was how much programming I had absorbed from my environment; this is just how life works.
And for a long time, I believed it.
Broken Became the Breakthrough
After seven years in law enforcement, I moved into the corporate world and absolutely hated it from day one.
And to compound things, my wife and I were broke. And I mean broke.
Paycheck to paycheck. Student loans. Credit card debt. Auto loans. And working that job I couldn’t stand.
I thought, This must be life. Struggle. Stress. Survive.
That was the image I grew up with so ‘this must be’ how things are.
But something inside me finally snapped.
I had a thought that changed everything:
There has to be a better way.
I didn’t know how. I didn’t know where. I didn’t have the right influences.
But I planted a seed, that I could BE and DO something more.
Your Thoughts Really Do Become Things
One of the most important lessons I shared was this:
If you believe the lies you tell yourself, “I don’t have time, I don’t have money, I don’t have the resources, I don’t have the team”;
Those thoughts will become reality.
Your thoughts eventually become things.
I decided I didn’t need to know how yet.
I just needed to believe it was possible
That’s when everything began to shift.
Clarity Comes Before Confidence
The biggest thing I see holding people back isn’t lack of information.
It’s a lack of clarity.
People say things like:
- “I want to be successful.”
- “I want to be rich.”
- “I want to be a millionaire.”
But they never slow down long enough to define what that actually means.
I started writing out goals. I built vision boards. I spent serious time getting clear on what I wanted, not just financially, but in every area of life.
And here’s something that surprises people:
Since becoming an entrepreneur, I’ve invested far more time studying psychology, mindset, and personal development than business tactics.
Business matters. Strategy matters.
But mindset changes everything.
Clarity leads to confidence. Confidence creates certainty. And certainty is power.
Broken Is Not a Curse, It’s an Opportunity
At one point in my life, I wasn’t just broken financially.
I was broken spiritually. Physically. Relationally.
I had no meaningful relationships. I was unhealthy. I was numbing pain instead of dealing with it.
And here’s the truth most people miss:
If my life had been comfortable, I probably would have stayed stuck.
Being broken became my opportunity.
Stop cursing your situation. Start asking what it’s trying to teach you.
Becoming the Opportunity
Here’s the shift that changed everything for me.
Instead of chasing deals, money, or shortcuts, I focused on becoming someone others could trust.
Early on, after we paid off our consumer debt, I bought a poster board from Walgreens. I drew ten boxes on it and hung it on my wall.
I told my wife, “I’m going to do 10 real estate deals this year.”
She asked how.
I said, “I have no clue, but I’ll figure it out.”
And I did.
Creative financing. Partnerships. Hustle. Commitment.
That clarity and commitment carried me through obstacles, including the 2008 crash when financing dried up.
That’s when private lending entered my life.
People didn’t just see real estate as an opportunity.
They saw me as the opportunity.
Because of integrity. Because of follow-through. Because of the service.
Since then, I’ve raised over $50 million and made more than 10,000 mortgage payments to private lenders, NEVER MISSING ONE
Not because I’m special.
But because I chose to help, serve, and lead.
Need Encouragement?
No matter where you’re starting from, you can create success.
But it starts internally.
Get clear. Commit fully. Take action. Serve others.
As Zig Ziglar said:
You can have anything you want in life if you’re willing to help enough other people get what they want.
That’s the formula.
It’s not easy. But it’s worth it.
And if you’re willing to step into it, you don’t just find opportunities, YOU BECOME THE OPPORTUNITY!
WATCH FULL VIDEO HERE