Grant Cardone is an American bestselling author, motivational speaker, real estate investor, and sales trainer. After attending college in the late 70s and earning a degree in accounting, he decided to go into sales instead of the accounting path to success in the corporate world.
He went into automobile sales and by the age of 25, he had checked into and out of a rehabilitation treatment center to win his battle with drug addiction. Five years later he had become a millionaire. He’s well known for selling programs that help companies increase their sales, but he would take every bit of profit he made and put it into his real estate empire.
It started as a side project that he managed part time to preserve any wealth he’d accumulate through his businesses, but grew into $350 million worth of real estate holdings, something Grant accomplished without raising any outside capital other than a small amount from close family members who hold less than 2% of the company.
Instead of getting into the mechanics of what Grant did, since real estate and sales are not everybody’s destined path to become self made, what follows is a look into the mindset that help Grant win in his chosen battlefield. He has written and spoken voluminously about his success, so if you want to learn how from someone who started from nothing- from worse than nothing- listen up:
Set Goals
“Set no targets and you will get nowhere.” -Grant Cardone
Be Fearless
“All your dreams await just on the other side of your fears.” -Grant Cardone
Do Something
“If you don’t do something, you’ll end up being nothing.” -Grant Cardone
Don’t Ever Make Another Excuse Again
“Nothing about an excuse can help your situation.” -Grant Cardone
It’s True:
“There’s a lot of money out there in this world. Start hustling.” -Grant Cardone
Take MORE Action
“Almost every problem people face in their careers and other aspects of their lives – such as failed diets, marriages, and financial problems – are all the result of not taking enough action.” -Grant Cardone
Become Obsessed
“I suggest that you become obsessed about the things you want; otherwise, you are going to spend a lifetime being obsessed with making up excuses as to why you didn’t get the life you wanted.” -Grant Cardone
Work Harder
“Do people know you because of your unbelievable work ethic? If you can’t answer YES to that, you’re not gonna get into that top 10 percent.” -Grant Cardone
Middle Class Is Not Enough
“I contend that the middle class is the most suppressed, restricted, and confined socioeconomic demographic in the world. Those who desire to be a part of it are compelled to think and act in a certain way where ‘just enough’ is the reward.” -Grant Cardone
Set A Frenzied Pace
“Most people only work enough so that it feels like work, whereas successful people work at a pace that gets such satisfying results that work is a reward. Truly successful people don’t even call it work; for them, it’s a passion. Why? Because they do enough to win!” -Grant Cardone
Be Agile
“Fast is the new big. Perfection is the killer to production. Perfection is basically a symptom of procrastination.” -Grant Cardone
Face Your Fears Dead On
“Do what you are scared to do and watch your confidence grow.” -Grant Cardone
Make Your Luck
“Luck is just one of the byproducts of those who take the most action.” -Grant Cardone
Waste No Opportunity
“If you aren’t where you want to be in life, you’ve got to work every minute and snatch up every opportunity.” -Grant Cardone
DOMINATE
“The weak compete. The strong dominate. Never make it your goal to compete. Instead, do everything you can to dominate your sector in order to avoid spending your time chasing someone else. Don’t let another company set the pace; make this your organization’s job. Stay ahead of the pack. Make it so that they want to chase you and try to be like you, not the other way around.” -Grant Cardone
Do It Loud
“You can’t get anywhere flying under the radar.” -Grant Cardone
Take Responsibility
“Being poor is a choice. Being middle class is a choice. Being upper middle class is a choice. Being rich is a choice. You may not like to hear it. Don’t blame the messenger!” -Grant Cardone
Comfort Is A Trap
“Very successful people don’t seek comfort; they seek success and are willing to do what is most uncomfortable. But most of the world is seeking comfort and familiarity, which are traps that cause you to settle for the mediocre. If you want to get to the next level of your business, you’ve got to be comfortable being uncomfortable.” -Grant Cardone
Average Is A Trap
“Average doesn’t work in any area of life. Anything that you give only average amounts of attention to will start to subside and will eventually cease to exist. Companies, industries, artists, products, and individuals who continue into the future successfully are those who approach every activity with the outlook that average is just not good enough. You need to change your commitment and thinking to be far above any concepts of average.” -Grant Cardone
Sell, Sell, Sell
“Learn how to sell your product and your service. The Ph.D. everyone needs right now is how to sell their product. It’s what business owners don’t want to do. I own three businesses. When I start a business, I don’t go out and get printers and telephones and furniture. I go get sales. The guy who opens a restaurant, the first thing he does is go get business cards. But you don’t need business cards, you need people in your restaurant. So that would be my first recommendation – get a Ph.D. in selling and get used to liking it. Be proud to sell your product. Don’t call yourself something other than a salesperson. Don’t do it. Because even a doctor needs to sell.” -Grant Cardone
READ!
“The most successful CEOs are reported to read an average of 60 books and attend more than six conferences per year – whereas the average American worker reads an average of less than one book and makes 319 times less income.” -Grant Cardone
Who Are You Modeling Yourself After
“Success is no different than any other skill. Duplicate the actions and mind-sets of successful people, and you will create success for yourself.” -Grant Cardone
Outwork Everyone
“When I was 26 years old, I was in retail and the store I worked in closed at 7 pm; most times you could find me there at 11 pm, making an extra sale. Never try to be the smartest or luckiest person; just make sure you outwork everyone.” -Grant Cardone
There’s Only One Way
“Robots are no longer just coming to a movie theater near you; they are taking jobs from anyone and everyone who is average in the service sector… Greatness is the ultimate protection offered by the exceptional that can NEVER be replaced by a computer, automation, a lower price or the Internet.” -Grant Cardone
Come Back To Life
“People are dying in this country at the age of 25 and they’re not making it official ’til they’re 70.” -Grant Cardone
Your ADHD Is A Gift
“I’ve been labeled obsessive. A banker called me bipolar yesterday on the phone. Bipolar, ADD, these are not diseases, these are gifts. You show me someone running four companies and I’ll show you someone who has got attention on 50 things while you’re talking to him.” -Grant Cardone
FIGHT for it. Get PAID.
“In life you don’t get what you are worth, you get what you negotiate. Learn how to close.” Grant Cardone
What’s Your Purpose?
“You don’t get burnout – you lose purpose! You lose your meaning. When I’m tired, I look at my purpose.” -Grant Cardone
I’m Telling You…
“Be great because nothing else pays.” -Grant Cardone
Idle Hands and Idle Minds…
“A lack of purpose will find your demons. You wanna find out if the devil exists? Just take white space, put it on a calendar, have nothing to do for two days, three days, four days. Get bored enough, get no-purpose. A lack of clarity in your life and we will find your demons, the dementia, the insanity… the evil snakes that live in your mind, because everybody’s got them. But when you’re busy, I don’t see them. When you’re producing on your purpose-line, I don’t see them.” -Grant Cardone
Write It
“Take 10 minutes and write down what you wanted to do when everything seemed possible.” -Grant Cardone
Be Confident
“Self-confidence is more important than product or price. Or your brand or your title. Self-confidence is everything. Self-confidence can be grown and must be grown.” -Grant Cardone
THINK BIGGER
“The single biggest financial mistake I’ve made was not thinking big enough. I encourage you to go for more than a million. There is no shortage of money on this planet, only a shortage of people thinking big enough.” -Grant Cardone
First Name Your Goal, Then…
“Let the rest do whatever while you do whatever it takes.” -Grant Cardone
Talk Trash
“You sleep like you’re rich. I’m up like I’m broke.” -Grant Cardone, a millionaire several times over
I want you to solve your problems by becoming rich…
“Have goals so big your problems pale in comparison.” -Grant Cardone
Are You Ready?
“Every adventure will and must contain experiences you would never want.” -Grant Cardone
Invest Your Time Don’t Spend It
“Your greatness is limited only by the investments you make in yourself.” -Grant Cardone
Want A Raise? Step It Up
“Offer so much to those you work for that they worry they aren’t paying you enough.” -Grant Cardone
This Is Almost Guaranteed to Work
“Show up early, treat people with respect, and perform at the highest levels till the world can’t deny you.” -Grant Cardone
You’re Only Responsible for Your Success
“Just because most don’t make it doesn’t mean you can’t.” -Grant Cardone
Luck is just what happens when preparation meets opportunity
“Success loves preparation. It loves it. It admires it. It flows money back to it.” -Grant Cardone