Being the boss is not the top job.

Remember when you were a kid and would say to yourself or others, "if I were in charge I would do it this way?" I remember saying that and some of my ideas were good. Well, now I have been the boss on my constuction rehabs and it's not so easy. In fact, I personally would rather just be given an assignment and be left to get it done-and I would get it done fast and well. However it is not in the cards right now for me to "relax and just work". This past week since I bought Wilcox, I have been working with several semi-skilled workers that need direction and assistance. Josh, where's this? What are we doing here? I lost or broke this and can you get another one-now? Can I get paid now for work I will do for you two years from now, and oh yes, cash please?

We are getting alot or work done, but it's not easy. Take a look at the mess.

We are basically taking the shell of a utility room and turning it into a 1 bed unit and renovating 3 other units at the same time. All the workers want me to give them much slack and freedom to work as they "see best", but sometimes I wonder if their "see best" is clouded by highs, hangovers and hurriedness. With my current crew, I have to be there or things will grind to a halt or I will have to spend time later on fixing things.

I have been thinking about ways that I can better manage my "chain gang". Inside joke as most of them have criminal records. If I had plans laid out ahead of time, I know that that would help, just as more prep for a speach makes it flow better upon delivery. My challenge here is that I don't have the construction knowlege to anticipate everything beforehand as I have to just adapt as I go along. I think when we get on to the "normal rehab" stuff that we will be on to soon, I think things will be easier. I was praying more today as I reached the end of my normal abilities. It all worked out and we got a bunch of work done. Today I spent $552 just on labor. Wow!

Life Lessons #2

If you're anything like me then the things you have learned the most from probably came out of the mistakes you've made. So let's take a little time together to reflect on these lessons and to profit from them.



Looking back over your life, what are the three most important lessons you've learned? You can focus this question on your life as a whole, on your business, on your investing, or any specific area of your life you choose.


Here's a few of my top life lessons: Most things end, often unexpectedly, so savor them now. Enjoy them now. Appreciate them now. Take more photographs; write more blogs. Keep reminding myself to truly savor my life right now.


Also, I am incredibly resilient. I can handle just about anything with God's help and my wifes support so let go of my worries and anxieties. I cannot control life but I can move gracefully through it. We are willing to start over again and if that is all that happens and you have your health and family, then it doesn't seem so bad.


What are some of your top life lessons?



Here are a few of my top business lessons: With the right "partners" anything is possible and easy. Partners may be team members, they may be joint venture partners, they may be advisors or mentors, or they may be actual partners. With the right people doors open, markets move, and value is easy to create and capitalize on.


Document, document, document! Most rough business moments could have been avoided by clarifying relationships and responsibilities better in writing. When in doubt, spell it out!


In the world of investing, here are some of my top lessons!


Value my cash more. When I have a lot of it I tend to discount its real worth. But it is precious, so spend it only when I am getting an incredible value.
Evaluate my investments against my written criteria, and run key investments past my advisors to have them make sure I am making my choices from my best and highest self, not from my greedy, "there's so much money to be made in this move" nor from my "I have to invest now or I'll lose out" selves.


Remember, you've already made your mistakes and paid for them. But by turning them into key lessons to guide your future behavior you transform the price you paid in your past into an investment that will yield huge payoffs for you--again and again.