I’m a huge believer in working long and hard. I don’t believe in luck. If you work hard, opportunities will come your way. Business is a numbers game. The more “numbers” (emails, phone calls, meetings, etc.) you commit to, the more doors will eventually open for you.

Here’s a brief reminder about how powerful committing to numbers can be: It took me 10 months of cold calls, emails and meetings, along with only being able to afford to eat a teaspoon of peanut butter for breakfast and drink $1 dollar gas station coffee every day before I got my breakthrough in real estate. This breakthrough enabled me to sell 22 properties in the span of only three months, and it kick-started my success. I now run a million-dollar real estate business in Ohio. Remember to never give up, and always commit to the numbers.

Copy the Right Cat

Another success principle that I always follow is to copy other successful entrepreneurs and what they do. Many entrepreneurs ask me how I got to where I am today without any formal education (I quit school when I was 14). My answer is always the same: “I asked people who were already where I wanted to be questions, and I studied and copied everything they did.”

Now, don’t take this advice too far. Make sure to add your own personal touch and brand to whatever idea inspires you. Every post and video on my company’s website has a calculated strategy behind it to better showcase our brand and to generate more hype and buzz about who we are and what we do. We are constantly being inspired by something or someone else.

Emulate Experts in the Field

It took years and years of talking with different experts from different fields, along with making thousands of minor adjustments, to achieve what we have.

In the earliest days of my real estate investment journey, I was fortunate enough to be taken under the wing of a real estate entrepreneur who had grown his business into a $50 million powerhouse in Australia. To this day, my staff and I look to his company’s every move — from YouTube videos and social media updates to when they send out their weekly newsletters. I also give him a call once in a while to get pointers on certain things associated with projects we are working on.

Although it might feel satisfying to do so, please remember to not feed your ego by comparing your achievements with that of tire kickers. Focus on being the best you can and look up to the best there is. They say that you become who you’re with. Connect with people who are moving, shaking hands every day and shooting for the stars.