BIG Dreams

May 28, 2021

Welcome Back to Powerful Homes Housing Literacy with Matt Guarino- the Mindset and Tactics to empower your dreams through Real Estate. DREAM Definition: a cherished aspiration, ambition or ideal. What’s your dream? Are we chasing our dreams for ourselves or others? The VISION of Powerful Homes is to empower dreams through real estate. The big idea is that when we have the courage and grit to pursue our highest IDEALS we will inspire those around us to do the same for generations. The exact outcomes will change but the MINDSET will remain the same and our actions in our lifetime will lift up others forever. At Powerful Homes, we believe and have the RECEIPTS to prove that putting others first and using real estate as the platform for making our dreams come true…works because it helps create big time resources to make it all happen and provides a stable foundation, community and culture that provides the POWER to overcome all the challenges that this life throws at us. We will review the personal mindset and some real-life stories that may inspire you to prioritize buying a home or investment property as soon as possible to empower your BIG DREAMS. As always if you have any questions, feel free to text Matt directly at 303-885-1644.

Episode Links:

https://amzn.to/34qcVTo - Dream Big: Know What You Want, Why You Want It, and What You’re Going to Do About It

Episode Transcript:

Welcome to the housing literacy podcast with host, Matt Guarino, founder of Powerful Homes. Matt's mission is to empower dreams through home ownership. We're here to help. We're going to do this together and now Matt Guarino.

My name is Matt Guarino and I'm the founder of Powerful Homes and our vision is to empower dreams through real estate. And our mission is to help 10,000 people in the next 10 years purchase their very first home or investment property, because we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to buy their first home or investment property regardless of their age, their race, their education level, or any of the other ways that our current systems may block them from doing that.

And how do we do that? We teach a thing called housing literacy, which is basically the mindset and a series of values-based ethics-based tactics, proven tactics that can help produce those outcomes that get you into a great home that can empower your dreams. So if you're here for the first time, welcome. If you're returning, I'm so glad you're here. So excited that you're with us and as you know, if you're been here before, this is a judgment free zone, we're just sincerely, authentically sharing some experiences and some things we've gleaned over 25 years of buying and selling and helping others buy and sell all over the country, all different asset classes, homes, land, multifamily, things like that. And we really believe that there's a code. There's kind of a system that makes this work. It's a mindset and these things to do that can make you more efficient and make you successful. So welcome back and welcome for the first time if you're here.

So we always start with a quote and kind of an overlying idea, a notion for the talk is from JFK this time from his 1960, novel address, as he became the president of United States which was a capstone quote for his whole campaign, which was called a time for greatness. So he said that ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country. And so what he was doing there, the notion of that is really the theme of this whole Powerful Homes concept which it says that it's not a lightning strike. This is not a quick fix. This is not a band-aid. And that's what he was talking about in 1960. What he's trying to do is say, think bigger, think beyond just yourself and really dig deep and think, what can you do for your country?

So when we talk about a powerful home, we talk about one that's owned and we also talk about one where the people living there have a sense of service to something bigger than themselves. So today, we're talking about big dreams. The big is going to be some mindset things that you can think about as you contemplate a big dream, dreaming bigger and going for it. And the dreams part, those letters, the five letters of dream, we have five stories we want to share with you that I've experienced over the last 25 years of owning my own home and investment properties, that we think will resonate and hopefully inspire you to take some action to make this happen.

So what is the definition of dream? What is a dream? It's a cherished aspiration ambition, or ideal. So, you know what that is for you, and if you don't, let's think about that and connect that to the concept of the service to others or something that's bigger than just you, just money or just some personal game. So, you know, the vision of Powerful Homes is to empower James through real estate. And the big idea is, is that if we have the courage and the grit to pursue our highest self, our highest ideals, we believe that amazing things happen.

Forces start coming to you that you didn't think were there. Resources, people, amazing things start shifting and showing up. And we think that if you have the mindset that you can impact the future forever, for generations, if you think about just things that are bigger than just yourself. So at Powerful Homes, we have the receipts, we believe that we've had the experiences to prove this, that owning your own home versus renting it, committing to yourself and a higher ideal can create amazing outcomes. And if you use real estate as the platform for your biggest dreams. Again resources come, people come and it's all because you're committing to a deeper level for the long haul and for the long game, if you will.

And having real estate is a stable foundation, more resources come community members kind of rally around you and you rally around them. And it provides the power to overcome all the challenges that life ends up throwing at us. And that's what this is all about. Personal empowerment, for you to unlock that power within. And we believe that committing to real estate is a fantastic way to do it. So big dreams, let's get into the big part, the B-I-G. We always do kind of acronyms and the first part of it, of the personal mindset is to be present. And we believe that you must be in this moment in order to take the first real step and understanding where you've been and where you want to go and taking inventory of where you're at.

Only living in the past, or kind of always be living in kind of the future self, you know, mindset is not going to work. You know, we need to take stock of our habits and our current situation and own them in order to move forward. And we believe when you are present, if you come at there's two [inaudible], one is forgiveness and the other was gratitude. And if you can forgive yourself and others and truly do that we believe that you're kind of unloading a lot of luggage that may hold you back. And we also believe that you can't forgive generally, you have to really forgive specifically. So kind of thinking about the ways you may have got it wrong or missteps or the way other people may have crossed you and offended you to really specifically write them down and then to let them go.

The other part of being present is to be grateful is to really kind of flood gratitude if, of how far you've come. It's amazing how you can't be grateful and anxious at the same time and nervous and tentative. So if you're grateful and you're forgiving, it's in your present, you can really create the space to start creating your big dream.

So then the second one is I, and I in big dreams is to inspire yourself. And those around you. We're talking about big dreams here. We're not talking about small things like buying a possession, or, you know, getting that little promotion we're talking about, like life altering, big things that can be inspirational for years to come. And the question is, are you ready to put your foot down is now the time for you to really dream big. And as JFK said in 1960 a time for greatness, are you ready to step into your greatness and to dream big? And I hope you are.

The G in big dreams is to go for it. Now is the time there's, you don't have to wait anymore. No more excuses, really, if you will, you don't need to read another book. You don't need to consume another podcast. I think you have what it takes now, whether you believe it or not you've come this far and I'm here to tell you, you know, go for it now. It doesn't mean quit your job and do something rash? It just means to take that first step and almost like put a nail on the escape boat into your future. One now at a time, one day at a time, and now is the time to do it. So the first part of big dreams is those three things to be present, inspire yourself and others in a big way, and to go for it.

So now we're going to get into the word dream, and I have five quick stories for you. A couple of them are pretty intense. But really the whole idea is to show you that by owning your own home, committing to a community, committing to a city, doing life with people at a deeper level, as an owner amazing things happen. And the only way, the best way for me to show that to you is to give you these five stories. So let's dive into the D in dream is to dare to believe. And again, these are all stories that have happened to me and my family over the last 25 years.

So dare to believe, why is it so easy to believe that they, whoever they are, they have it all figured out, but not us. I don't know if you guys ever felt that way, but I felt that a lot as a young man and then in my twenties and even my thirties. I'd always think if somebody had success, man, they had some sort of advantage or they have it figured out, and I don't. Why do we do that? And I think the biggest secret is as I've risen up in my career is that nobody has it figured out; business owners, CEOs, you got to be on the curtain they'd say, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just kind of engaging in it. And the work informs my actions kind of thing.

But the biggest moment in our lives is the day that we decided to go for it and never stop. I'm not going to stop until I realize my big dream, right? The dream that's of service to others and elevating people around us. So a story for that is that in my community where we raised our family. There was a woman, this couple had two kids. And I remember the day I was at a at some event, this woman said, you know, I'm going to become a race car driver. And she said, I've been thinking about it. I wanted to do it. And she went for it. You know, they have two girls, we have four kids. We have two girls and two boys. And at the time I thought that was the coolest thing. Even her just saying it was cool, right?

Here's the thing, we were very close with this family. She went ahead and did it. She did it. And she was very successful and she was on the circuit and still is on the circuit. And she inspired so many people. Her kids, our kids. So many in the community, probably people she doesn't even realize broke the gender barrier of, you know, a woman can, or can't be a race car driver who said, and why not. So dare to believe. So there's one story that just, I just think is so awesome that because they use the resources from their real estate, some of them to empower that dream. Very expensive to be a race car driver and she went for it and it paid off.

Then the second one in the R for dream is to remember to be grateful. We brushed up against this earlier that forgiveness and gratitude are huge unlocks to breaking through our big dream. So one of the things is one of my neighbors again, a dear family friends of ours was a professor at a university. And he would go to Africa every year with MBA students. And there was a AIDS orphanage, that helped support orphans that were abandoned by the AIDs crisis in Africa. Beautiful, beautiful thing. He invited our family to go. And my wife went with our two oldest at the time; my oldest daughter was 12 and our son was 10. And what they learn this thing about gratitude, they went there to teach kids how to play soccer and what they really learned and they were blown away by was the gratitude that these children had going to school and they had no family, nothing. It has stayed with them their entire lives. So the idea to remember, to be grateful, these children were grateful just to have this school, just to have the opportunity that they had. They had just t-shirt and a bucket. That's all they had. And they were profoundly happy and grateful. So that experience came through us, knowing our friends, committing at a deeper level to our community and being engaged with our neighbors.

The third story with the E is a tough one. It's a very hard story that everyone can begin again. I don't know where you are in your life experience. If you're in a valley, you're going through a tough time or not. We've had so many ups and downs and that's part of this whole thing about life and going for your dreams. It's like this, it's never a straight up to the right line, a straight line. And sometimes dreams become shattered or they get derailed. So this story is for people, if you're thinking like that, if that's where you are. I've been there, I think we've all been there, but everyone can begin again, is the E. And we are much more than the biggest mistake we made or the worst thing that's ever happened to us. I'm here to tell you that you were not defined by the worst thing you've done or that's happened to you. We can begin again and when we make bad decision.

So, the story here is that I was coaching another dear family friends of ours had two boys, a second grader and a kindergartener and I was blessed to teach baseball to the kindergarten there. And it was right before July 4th, he finally broke through and I showed him how to throw a ball. And he got his first hit in the ball game and we we're so excited. And the dad and the two sons we're also excited because we're going on a first plane ride. The dad was a pilot at the time, and he was going to take his boys up and go camping. That was the last time I saw the father and those two boys, because there was a horrific event with some weather and they didn't make it, the plane crashed. And it was one of the hardest things I've ever experienced in my whole entire life. And I thought their dreams that were going this way were shattered and they were, and we're still heartbroken over it.

But here's what happened. The community rallied together. Their mom who survived, which is this horrific thing to have to experience, created a non-profit to adopt kids from overseas that were not adoptable because they had heavy medical issues. We created a race, the neighborhood of all the people in the community created a race to raise money. And for years, my kids would run in that and try to come in first to get the ribbon. So they could put it on this Memorial, which had three trees that have never grown because they stayed the same size when that event happened. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life and has given me so much strength to carry on when I'm in that valley.

So their original dream was shattered, but the mom came through when she created a new dream to honor the lives of the people that were lost. There's nothing more beautiful that I've experienced in life. And it's because I was committed to my neighbors and we all use the resources from our homes to do it. And we were doing life together, the highs and the lows. And I'm telling you, if you're in a rough spot, you can begin again. You can begin again. And my life does get better and we'll never forget those folks, the dad and the two boys. They're forever seared in our hearts and we miss them dearly. But the mom showed us how beautiful life can be and how love always wins at the end of the day. Love wins, love wins for sure.

So the last one is the A, to ask big questions is in the word dream. We come [inaudible 15:32] what we think about. Great questions in every phase of our life will help us focus and what we really care about and align our talents, interests, and helps us solve, I want to say the world's biggest challenges. Another family in our neighborhood, we watched this young man go from being one of the smartest kids in elementary school to middle school, to high school. He kept asking questions about better ways to do technology or energy, energy technology. And he ended up going to one of the most amazing schools in the country. And now he's in a think tank to create more using different types of hydrogen. And all these different ideas that he's come up with these in a think tank at the highest level solving the world's energy crisis. So you said, you know, thinking about your big dreams to ask big questions and how you can solve them. We watched this young boy go from a boy to a man, and now he's leading the world, and this is just a neighborhood kid. So again, doing life with people, committing to people, what a blessing it is.

So the last thing is that miracles can happen. So the last story I want to share with you is about a boy who drew a picture of his future. And it goes back to the Einstein who said that there are two ways to live. Our lives. One is though nothing is a miracle. And the other is as though everything is a miracle, you know? So what's it for you, right? So there's a young man in our neighborhood when he was a young man he met his girlfriend at the time and thought that she was going to be the one and her high school yearbook. He said he professed his love for her and said, I want to spend the rest of my life with you a little crazy. And he wrote here's what our life looks like. And even drew a picture of a little boy and a little girl, and this is kind of what our kids are going to look like. He went on to marry that girl and they ended up having four kids, girl, boy, girl, boy, and strangely and crazy and miraculously they looked just like that picture.

And you might've guessed that, that boy was me, and I drew a picture of the life I wanted to have in my now wife's high school yearbook and I, we made it happen, right? So miracles can happen. I truly believe if you're committed to something, you're committed to your big dream and you draw it out and you really want that to happen. And you just look at it every day. And I think that using real estate, the stability that real estate provides you with amazing neighbors. You're doing life with your neighbors, the good and the bad. They're there to support you. And then the resources from the real estate is there to support you. Miracles can happen and how you draw up your life can happen. And if it hasn't happened yet, or you've been disappointed, just begin again, draw up a new picture. Go for it.

Powerful Homes would love to help you help coach you through that buying low and selling high, buying property well, and using it to empower your dreams is something that could be taught and can be learned. And we would love to be about your biggest dream. So owning a home investment property as early as possible, and for as long as possible, changes things, all things. The one decision may create an amazing resources that you cannot understand in this moment. Most importantly, it can help you commit to your big dream. And by doing that, you align yourself with those around you and can inspire them to do the exact same thing which could go on for generations.

My name is Matt Guarino, I'm the founder of Powerful Homes. So glad you're with us today. And if we can help empower any of your big dreams, please give me a call on my cell or text me at (303) 885-1644. So proud of what we're trying to do and would love to make you have you jump in and become a part of this movement. And we are trying to change the future. And we believe that it's a time for greatness and it all starts with naming that big dream and going for it so that you can help others in the future for generations to come. See you next time.

Thank you for listening to another episode of the housing literacy podcast. Don't forget to like, comment and hit that subscribe button and stay connected with Matt Guarino by visiting www.powerfulhomes.org.