Blog | Personal Finance

How Finding a Mentor Changed Our Lives

Looking For Wisdom From Good Teachers

In December of 2001, Josh and I were given a gift that changed our lives completely.

Josh’s dad had a habit of gifting us random things he bought off infomercials. We would get exercise gear, gadgets, books, CD’s, everything and anything. So, it was no surprise that we were extremely skeptical the day we were handed Robert Kiyosaki’s You Can Choose to Be Rich audiobook set.

With a half-hearted promise to listen to the CD’s and a wave goodbye, we started to head home. But I knew Josh and saw that he was torn. His dad was so adamant for us to listen to the CD’s. To ease his conscience, I told him to pop in the CD’s for our drive home.

This was the day that forever changed our lives. We listened to Robert and Kim tell their personal story and share their philosophies on money. It completely changed our mindset and we quickly realized we wanted to start living a different life.

That day, we decided to be Social Capitalists.

I don’t know who’s credited for saying this, but timing really is everything. Josh and I were at a low point in our lives, not sure how to get out of the rat race. But Robert’s teachings appeared to us at the right time, when we were desperate enough to listen.

Robert said something that hit home for us: “The reason most people don’t get anywhere in life is because they are afraid to fail.”

It’s true. The fear of failing is a feeling that most people experience. But what we don’t realize is that failure is how we learn.

So, with Robert metaphorically by our side, Josh and I set aside our fear and took a leap of faith. We took our idea to help others and turned it into a business.

Which brings me to one of the most important pieces of advice I can share with you: always seek the wisdom of teachers.

They will come into your life when you least expect it. But if your eyes and ears are open, you can learn what you need to know to change your life.

When I feel overwhelmed or hesitant to pursue something new, I always stop and think these 5 things:

1. Don’t let fear get in your way.
2. Seek teachers and mentors who have achieved what you want to achieve. Let their experiences teach you.
3. Be open to new ideas.
4. Find opportunities to have new experiences and learn something. Even negative experiences are teaching moments.
5. And always be willing to share what you know or have experienced with others.

These tips have guided me throughout my journey and it’s my hope that you will use them to start yours.

If you want to learn more about how Josh and I reached our dream of becoming Social Capitalists, make sure to read our book The Social Capitalist: Passion and Profits- An Entrepreneurial Journey.