Millionaire Principle 3/100: Do the Work When No One is Watching

Last week, I finally got my cold plunge hooked up and running, setting it up under the mango tree in my back yard.

For those unaware, a cold plunge is a simple bathtub, but the tub is filled with cold water rather than bubbly warm water for soaking. Forty-one-degree cold water, in my case.

The benefits of cold plunging are numerous, but as this is not a post about cold exposure, I’ll save that for another day. Suffice it to say: cold plunging is a mentally challenging activity because it sucks, and you don’t “have” to do it. No one is forcing you to get in the cold water, and no one is forcing you to stay in it. It’s just you and your willpower.

The last several days, a small group of friends have come over to my house in the morning to cold plunge together. It’s been a fun activity, where we compete to see who can stay in the longest, and then we move into the hot sauna for good conversation.

Today, however, no one showed up. It was just me, alone, standing in front of the 41 degree crystal clear water.

And I realized something: it was MUCH harder to get into the plunge today than the last few days because I was alone. No one was there to cheer me on. No one was there for me to impress. No one was going to make fun of me for not getting in, or getting out early. In fact, no one would even know if I did it.

It was me, and me alone.

I stood there staring at the water for what seemed to be eternity.

Would I get in the water despite the lack of encouragement, no friends, and no immediate benefit?

“No one will know or care, Brandon,” I said to myself. “Just go back inside the house, where it’s comfortable and warm.”

This same temptation speaks to everyone, all the time, in their quest to build wealth. It’s easier to read an investing book when your friends are all reading the same book. It’s easier to attend a local real estate investing club when you know you’ll have buddies to talk with in attendance. It’s easier to make an offer on a property or start a business or refuse to eat out when all your friends and family are doing the same.

But the truth is: if you want to become a millionaire, to become successful, to make a dent in the universe, you’re going to have to do it alone - at least most of the time.

and that’s why Millionaire Principle #3 of 100 is this: Do the work when no one is watching. Do the work when no one is cheering you on. Do the work when no one is acting with you. Do the work even when you don’t get to enjoy the immediate benefit.

For me, as a real estate investor first and later a podcaster, author, speaker, and coach, the work meant:

• reading the books needed to improve my skillset

• attending conferences or events despite knowing no one

• Picking up the phone and calling real estate agents

• Attending educational webinars to gain new skills

• Writing when no one read my stuff

• Making videos that no one would see

• And so much more

The truth is: most of the time, I’ve had to do the work even when no one knew, when no one was watching when no one cared. But I did the work anyway - because I know the work works.

And it will work for you.

So, what work have you been putting off because no one is cheering you on?

Will you get in the “cold water” of your life without applause?

I hope you will. It’ll make you incredibly wealthy; someday, everyone will see, and the applause will come.

Love you,

Brandon

P.S. In case you’re wondering, I did get in the plunge this morning! It was the hardest cold plunging experience yet, because no one was there. But I did three minutes in the 41-degree water, a near record for me.