Some real estate investors develop what’s called ‘the professor syndrome.’ They think that because they’ve done a deal or two deals or three deals and made a little bit of money here and there that they don’t need to learn any more. Wrong. You need to constantly be learning new things.

The market changes, real estate changes. You need to adapt to the market conditions. You need to be able to adapt to the economic changes. You need to constantly learn new things.

I strongly believe that the minute you stop learning, is the minute you stop growing and the minute you start dying. You always can learn new things, no matter where you are in your business, no matter how successful you are. You need to constantly make that a part of your life, of learning new things. Just don’t stop learning. Always do the best you can and continue to acquire new information to make yourself better, to make your business better, to minimize your costs and to grow your revenues.

Learning is a lifelong process and a business builder. It’s healthy and it will make you more money in the long run.

Another way to avoid being a victim of the professor syndrome is having a mentor. Sounds kind of plain, doesn’t it? You’d be surprised how much better you can be when you have a mentor, especially in your early days.

In my early days I had a mentor. And I still have a mentor to this day. And it’s been extremely vital to my business that I have somebody that I can go to when I have a question that’s above me, or just a situation that I need to discuss with somebody that can help me see the big picture, that can help me make a decision.

Even if it’s a decision that I already know and believe is right, sometimes it makes you feel good to have some reassurance that your mentor can agree with you. Your mentor will make you accountable. They will push you, they will make you stronger, they will help you see mistakes, they will help you overcome problems, and they will help you make more money in the long run. This mentor should be someone who has had more experience than you, been around the block a few more times and can keep you from thinking that you know it all or are that “professor”.

So, if you don’t have a mentor, find a mentor. And it will, without a doubt, make you a better real estate investor and make you a better person.

For the record, I want you to know that another word for mentor could be coach or consultant, somebody that’s going to help you achieve your goals and help you surpass your goals.

Did you know that Tiger Woods has a coach? Do you know that Michael Jordan had a coach? Do you know that Arnold Palmer had a coach? Some of the biggest and most successful people in the worlds still have coaches and mentors and consultants and people that work with them to help make them better. There is no reason why you shouldn’t have this same mentality.

If you are looking for a coach, do a little research and find one who will make you grow and learn as an investor. You don’t need a buddy, you need a teacher.