The quick scoop on bad landlord experiences during my early start up days:
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Landlord 1 (2009): didnt tell us they had termite infestation. found out termite activity AFTER renovation and business launched, with clients. Had to close shop because it was risky for us (2nd floor that was wooden was starting to SINK) and clients. Lost most of what little life savings we had there.
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Landlord 2 (2010): joined a group practice where CEO brought us in with and promised to help with marketing and group support. Fuck, his team didnt support us at all. We did all our own sales and marketing, billing and even had to hire our own receptionist at our own expense. To make it worse, the fucking finance gave us a lot of grief by withholding the revenue we generated by our own sales and marketing for at least 3+ months every month…on top of paying them rent out of our pocket. Basket.
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Landlord 3 (2011): a surgeon who rented me a space where i built a client load and kept delaying the contract. I thought because landlord was a respected surgeon there may not be funny business, but boy was i so wrong. he kicked me out because he found someone willing to pay more so i had a weekend to move out. A WEEKEND.
I usually tell my family that i dont have to go to cinemas to watch movies or watch drama shows on cable/netflix because my life has so much real life excitement already anyway lol
Today I will be sharing with you on what to do when you feel like giving up and some of the things that i’ve learnt when ive gone through a lot of ups and downs in my business to get to where i am today
- Problems are everywhere and they’re really opportunities
- 99% of problems are solvable
- Learning Points
- choosing the right important problems to solve
- breaking through process as important as selected problems to breakthrough
- breakthroughs never in a straight line
- open to change methods
- stay on track to the vision
Our lives will always have problems and to me problems mean that they’re actually opportunities to learn and earn
As an entrepreneur and leader, I solve many problems big and small:
- competition
- sales and marketing
- operational issues
- human resource where this person is unhappy etc
- sabotage internally
- i’ve workers who wants to earn more
- i’ve clients who wants a problem and pain to be solved
Every single day.
And usually, the more difficult the problem, the higher value it usually is (eg $10 problems = $10 results; $1M problems = $1M income)
And because we all have limited time and energy, we have to choose which problems are the problems that’s most important first (choose higher value ones > less value ones)
This video is what i do with critical problems that are important and are potentially life-changing (good or bad). Critical problems are usually difficult, intense and can be prolonged – they’re not like “what we’re gonna have for dinner” kind of problems – I’m talking about problems that may change your life in a bad way if it’s not solved.
I’ve had so many of such problems and challenges in my life and career.
They can be brutal, and ive many moments where i just feel like giving up.
I know that no one will come to save me or help me, and that it seems like no matter what i do and ive done everything and nothing’s working…thats when i really really feel like quitting.
99% of problems are solvable
Let me share a quick personal story:
I started my physical therapy business in 2008 in as a foreigner, I had no friends, no family no network here that I could ask for help to get referrals, leads or sales or anything. My mum screamed at me to beg for my job back from a toxic environment. I had literally no support, other than my fiance who encouraged me. I had nothing, had bills to pay, but i started my entrepreneurship journey. Had so much challenges and people who cheated us, but we persisted, we pivoted, we learnt and applied and got better and better.
Made all the mistakes in the book but I remember starting my first business with $65 dollars to register my business, hustled to 7-figure acquisition and then some.
- No network? Sure, I go network. I knock on doors, get rejected, do it again.
- Don’t know how to run a business? Sure, i buy books and go for courses.
- Don’t know how to get sales and leads? Okay, I go for course offline, buy books and test.
- Do this for every problem that i come across.
Looking back, that’s how i come to conclude that 99% of all problems and goals are solvable.
Choose the right important problems to solve
Not all problems are equally important or valuable, you’ve got to decide which problems are important and do those first – this is very important.
If you choose the wrong problems in the first place, no matter how much effort, it’s not going to be that worth it.
An example, if you choose a career that will only pay you $10K/year and you want to earn $50K…the problem is already there.
If you want to build and grow a good business with good clients, then you got to say no to bad clients.
Choose the problems that bring you closer to your goals.
See it for what it is, and determine if this problem is it even worth your time and effort or not.
Breaking through process as important as selected problems to breakthrough
Usually when i am going through these painful and difficult moments, i only see and feel the problem, because it’s so overwhelming at times, until i breakthrough
But later when i look back, i realize that those are very powerful defining moments of learning and growth.
If you play role playing games, it’s kinda like leveling up – these leveling up moments define who you are and who you become.
These moments shape your character, and in a way, these moments determine your success.
Pushing through these difficult learning moments will train you to be persistent, determined, and the best word is developing tenacity and grit
These cannot be taught or found in a classroom or books.
This is a very important process that will be very valuable as an entrepreneur, character and leader
Breakthroughs never in a straight line + be open to change methods
“Nigel, ive done everything to overcome and solve this problem”
When i get told this, i usually will stop and ask them, have you really tried everything?
- have you talked to enough people?
- have you read all the books and blogs on this topic?
- have you hired people to help you?
- have you seeked mentoring?
- have you seeked help?
- Have you done everything you possibly could?
- Have you taken all the actions you possibly could?
I’ll bet that no, not yet.
I know that if you have, you would have solved the problem and gotten the results you wanted.
It’s never an issue of lack of resources…it’s a matter of lack of resourcefulness.
- sometimes it’s because we have been one track mind inside the box, and we need to think outside the box
- most of the time, it’s because we got burnt out or weary, which usually happens within the last mile of the success, days from success.
It’s only when we persist and push through the problems that we can enjoy the breakthrough – that’s why it’s called a break-through. You break through the block and the problem right in front of you.
Sometimes the solution comes instantly, but for new or large problems, you need to take time to chip away at it.
Dont quit on your your goals, dreams and hopes.
But you can quit the methods. You can pivot the approach and change the process.
If this dont work, sure, try this.
If that dont work, okay, try that.
If that dont work, then why not that.
Repeat until you get to where you want to.
Stay on track to the vision
As i shared, everything is figureoutable. 99% of problems are solvable.
Success and results are never a straight line, there is a lots of zig-zags, up-downs, sometimes go round and round.
It’s never as simple as achieving success by going from point A to point B – if that’s the case, everyone will be successful.
But you know that not everyone will be successful, usually because they give up too early and or didnt have the tenacity to push through problems that stare at them in the face.
Choose to solve problems that bring you closer to your goals and dreams, and as long as you’re getting closer, you’re on track.
- Dont give up when you have to zig and zag.
- Dont give up through the downtimes.
- Dont give up when you find yourself going in circles or blocked.
Remember, as long as you’re getting closer to where you want to be, you’re right on track.
You’re learning, applying, growing. You’re on track.
As long as you dont quit on your goals and you keep at it, you will get there.
