Nick Ruiz Joins Us On The Steve Jobs Inspired Join Up Dots Podcast
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Introducing Nick Ruiz
Nick Ruiz is my guest today, on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots free podcast interview.
He is a man who first appeared on the show back on episode nine of Join Up Dots
As we spoke about on the first show, some people are born to make money.
Others are born to provide value to others.
Our guest today was born to do both.
From his early days in school, he knew how to hustle, zigging whilst others zagged, zoning in on opportunities whilst others looked the other way.
He made money as a young man, and knew that this was the way he wanted his life to be.
But life in school is I suppose “Childs play” compared to what is in store when the high school bell rings for the last time, and your thrust out into the big wide world to fend for yourself.
Our guest knew this and before even leaving high school, was creating a path that would lead him to where he is today.
The Early Struggles Of Nick Ruiz
By enrolling into an MLM course, he learnt the skills of rapport building and developed the ability to create connections with people from all forms of life.
This is probably the most important skill that any entrepreneur could hope to have.
But although a huge step in the right direction, he was making very little money, so knew he had to take a step into the unknown and accept a level of risk that he hadn’t before.
This risk came when he realised that there was opportunities galore in real estate.
Before long, with a huge list of tenants paying him rent from properties he owned, he was a paper millionaire.
Not bad for someone only in the 20’s.
How The Dots Joined Up For Nick Ruiz
However the phrase “Learn to expect the unexpected” could have had been a very useful mantra to have, as boom time literally disappeared overnight.
In 2008 the real estate crash occurred, and forced our guest into bankruptcy.
Despondent, depressed and broke, he had two choices..
One to say goodbye to the good life and settle into a life of “What If’s” and “Broken Dreams”
Or he could fight back, and restore himself to previous glories.
Well after after rebuilding his millionaire net worth he’s achieved a higher minded psychology, greater financial freedom, and full awareness of the science of creating Success From Scratch™.
In fact if you Google “Nick Ruiz Net Worth” you will see that things are going better and better for this self confessed fighter.
He now currently teaches students across the globe how to create entrepreneurship time freedom with his program. (Alphahomeflipping.com)
And with this incredible bounce-backability he has put all his learnings and strategies into his second published book, Success From Scratch™ Mental Strategies for Success in a Survival of the Fittest Environment available now at Amazon.
So is he truly at a place now, where the hustle has been replaced with fun and enjoyment, or can he never leave behind the “What if i lose it all again” mentality?
And why did he feel the need to put his knowledge into words again, when there are many many such similar books sitting covered in dust on the book shelves of the world?
Well lets find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Mr Nick Ruiz.
Show Highlights
During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Nick such as:
Why feelings are so important to be aware off as you proceed to build your own future. Excitement is key to pointing the way to the gold.
Nick shares how monetizing your passion could well be dangerous and should be considered fully before entering into its pursuit.
Why so many people fail to celebrate or reward themselves after achieving goals, and why this is so a huge failure for continued success.
and lastly….
Nick and I discuss the power of rough draft moves and how he believes this is the key to all success.
How To Connect With Nick Ruiz
Books By Nick
Return To The Top Of Nick Ruiz
If you enjoyed this episode with Nick Ruiz then why not listen to some of our favourite podcast episodes such as Johnny FD, Frank Cottle, Simon Crowe or the amazing Sam Bearfoot
Or if you prefer just pop over to our podcast archive for thousands of amazing episodes to choose from.
Full Transcription Of Nick Ruiz Interview
Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. Join Up Dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK. David Ralph.
David Ralph [0:25]
Yes, good morning everybody. Good morning in Join Up Dots land this is going to be another belter of an episode because already had this guy on the show. Yeah, he appeared back in episode nine of Join Up Dots. He was one of the very first and as we spoke about on the first show, some people are born to make money I was born to provide value to others. And our guests certainly was born to do both now from his early days in school, he knew how to hustle zigging whilst others zag zoning in our opportunities, while others look the other way and he made money as a young man. I knew that this was the way he wanted his life to be. But life in school is I suppose Child’s Play compared to what is in store when high school bell rings for the last time and yet thrust out into the big wide world to bend up yourself. Now I guess newbies and even before leaving high school was creating a path that would lead him to where he is today. by enrolling into an MF Global comm even say it by enrolling into an MLM course, he learned the skills of rapport building and develop the ability to create connections with people from all forms of life. And this is probably the most important skill that any entrepreneur could hope to have. But although a huge step in the right direction, he was making very little money so he knew he had to take a step into the unknown and accept a level of risk, but he hadn’t before and this risk came when he realised that there was opportunities galore in real estate and before long, with a huge list of tenants paying him rent from properties he owned. He was a paper millionaire not bad for someone only in their 20s. Now however, the phrase learned to expect the unexpected could have been a very useful mantra to have as boom time literally disappeared overnight. And in 2008. The real estate crash occurred and forced our guests into bankruptcy, despondent, depressed and broke he had two choices, one to say goodbye to the good life and settle into a life of what ifs and broken dreams or we could fight back and restore himself to previous glories. Well, after rebuilding his millionaire net worth, he’s achieved a higher minded psychology greater financial freedom and full awareness of the science of creating success from scratch. He now currently teaches students across the globe how to create entrepreneurship time freedom movies programme alpha home flipping, and with this incredible bounce back ability is put all these learnings and strategies into a second published book success from scratch mental Strategies for Success in a survival of the fittest environment available now Amazon and all good bookshops. So is he truly at a place now where a hustle has been replaced with finding enjoyment? Or can he never leave behind the what if I lose it all again mentality? And why did he feel the need but he’s knowledge into words again, when there are many, many such similar books sitting covered in dust on the bookshelves of the world? Well, let’s find out as we bring them to the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Mr. Nick Ruiz. Good morning, Nick. How are you mate?
Nick Ruiz [3:07]
David, I’m beautiful. Man. I really appreciate being out here, man. Thank you.
David Ralph [3:11]
You are beautiful, aren’t you because you are. I’ll be totally transparent when we recorded our show back and it was episode nine. I think it was the first one that I had. But I actually got excited when I was recording it. Up to that point. I was very much kind of just going through the motions trying to find an angle but you started getting really emotional. I got emotional, it really sort of hit and the fires burn and I thought bloody hell this feels good. Is that how life should operate? is it all about having that gut feeling that you just can’t fight?
Nick Ruiz [3:44]
I think so. I think in it, I think it’s experienced I think the more you do things, you start to get a feel when I do things now I agree with you like you start to feel the moves you’re making as an entrepreneur, a businessman, whatever you want to call it. And I do I agree with you and then when you start when you can have emotion mixed with with your business, I love it. I thrive off of that I live off of that there’s there’s a high that I get from that. That is like nothing else and you almost feel the threshold being crossed, but you can’t like put it into words. Is that kind of where you’re going with this?
David Ralph [4:14]
Well, I exactly where I was going Nick Ruiz. But yeah, I can say so much better because you’re a professional.
Nick Ruiz [4:22]
And you’re a comedian, so we’re gonna have a fun show here.
David Ralph [4:24]
We will do a white for ourselves. But last time that we spoke, you were very much not burn out by the hustle, but I think aware that there was better ways hustle takes you to a certain point but cleverness replaces it. Are you still on that journey now? Because you’re poor you’re a hustler, aren’t you?
Nick Ruiz [4:46]
Yeah, yeah. I just what what I, what I don’t like is the very simple minded, surface based motivation that a lot of success, material success books or success courses, whatever you want to call them are talking about You know, like, motivation is very finite, and it’s super temporary, like, so temporary. So people get height, you know, it’s like, wake up early Hustle, Hustle, Hustle 18 hours a day, and then you’re gonna, you’re gonna make it like, that’s not really blanket advice. Like, I’m not saying don’t work wake up early. I’m not saying don’t wake up 18 hours a day, but it’s kind of irresponsible to say, if you just Hustle, Hustle, Hustle, you’re going to make it because I know people that have hustled, put in tonnes of work and gotten no results. So that’s I’m a twice self made entrepreneur, and once was after bankruptcy. So I figured out how to create success from nothing. That’s why I wrote the book success from scratch, hear that I’m holding in my hand. And that’s why I trademark the phrase, because I’ve not only done it for myself multiple times, which is very rare. A lot of people can’t say that. And I’ve helped other people do it. I know what it takes to create success from scratch. And it’s not these generic things that most people talk about. No one’s no one has read what’s in this book. And that’s what I’m excited about. This is like the subtitle mental Strategies for Success in a survival of the fittest environment like this is, this is learning the game of chess, which is strategy, which is you don’t have to break your back to create success from scratch, you just have to make the right mental chess moves. And I packed as much as I could in here, you know, I do a lot of it automatically, because I’m ingrained to do it. So but I dissected it all consciously. I mean, I went all the way back and I broke down. How did I do this? How did I do this to Weiss, like, you know, some people that create success one time, God bless them, maybe certain stars aligned or whatever, where that kind of put the wind behind their back to help them. You can’t say that with me, because I’ve done it from nothing two times and once was at zero financial resources after bankruptcy. So anybody can create success, it has nothing to do with where you come from it you just have to become you have to develop a higher mind, I believe my book is one of the true prerequisites to creating success from scratch. And people who haven’t read it and upgraded success from scratch, have unconsciously or consciously adopted the majority of the principles that I write about in my book. I mean, it just just you haven’t you haven’t heard this yet. Seriously.
David Ralph [7:07]
Did you know Gino? Nick, I pride myself on having offers and people coming onto my show to plug something and getting all the way through it and not mentioning it once I pride myself on that. And afterwards I got Oh, I didn’t even I didn’t even mention it. Should I come back for a second go? And I think no, you missed out. You got that in there. Now what what I want to know about this, because what you said, which is very interesting is that the construction of natural talents, the things that you do naturally well, which are your most valuable attributes, more often than not, you can’t explain them. It’s just kind of what I do. Was that really a struggle to sort of go back and actually sort of break down your super talents?
Nick Ruiz [7:48]
You know what, it’s funny, and let me let me highlight this. And by the way, first of all, it’s I that the things I wrote in this book, The beauty of it is, you know, really, nothing’s like a true plug, like my life thesis when I speak. Like I think about like, the things I do. And it’s like, it’s it’s my book, like, that’s why I’m so excited about this seriously is because it just wraps up a lot of the way I think as a businessman and as a person. But is it a struggle to dissect things that I do naturally. Now, sometimes it can be like, I’ll sit there and I’ll teach people whether it’s about real estate or anything else. Like I have it believe me I wasn’t born with any of this. This is just from doing this is from stumbling. This is from making a lot of what I call in, which is one of my theses rough draft moves, which is a core chapter in my book. I stumbled more than anybody, like I’ve made so many mistakes. But that’s what brought me to my quote unquote, talent, if you even want to call it that I don’t believe I was born with any entrepreneurial talent. Okay, I just stepped up to the plate and kept swinging the bat and striking out so many times that eventually I figured out how to make the ball connect with the bat period. So what happens is once I started connecting the ball with the bat, very regularly and eventually, like, quote, unquote, knocking things out of the park, people would look and be like, Oh, dude, he’s just a natural talent guy. No, no, I struck out 100 times more than you, dude. That’s why I’m hitting the ball. Okay, so when I go back, yeah, it’s hard. Sometimes it’s hard to go back in time and think in them as in the mind of someone who’s new and struggling. But I’ve learned how to do that now, which is great, because that’s allowing me to connect with my people more and teach them you know, how to make moves from scratch, how to flip homes from scratch using no money or credit how to get out of that. depressed and miserable psychology, which wasn’t too far long ago for me because of my bankruptcy. But I get people I get the struggle. And sometimes when people are on such a high success pedestal, they have a relation barrier with the people they’re talking to. I feel like that’s one of my edges because I’m right. Like, I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. Like I get being miserable and wanting to hide and run away and not talk to anyone. Because you’re just that miserable, I get it.
David Ralph [10:02]
No, I think that is a key point to yours. You know, I’ve had certain people on the show that I didn’t gel with at all because they, they forgotten who they were they forgotten their surroundings. They were quoting telephone numbers that they’re now an interesting guy that I had on the show, which is, you know, a well known name jack Canfield. He still talks about going to school and sitting in a canteen and how it smelt of stale milk. He was ingrained in roots. He knew where he’d come from. And I think there is a big part of that isn’t there? You can’t escape your roots. And yeah, you do. You kind of detach yourself somehow and start floating around aimlessly. You see it with pop stars, where they come from a housing estate, and then I suddenly in the mansions, but actually they’re they’re happier to be back in a housing estate. They’re not ready to go to that next step.
Nick Ruiz [10:53]
Yeah, I think if you can’t relate to just average people, I think it’s problematic. I think it hurts you and it hurts the people you’re trying to talk to. There’s no question about it. So I think that’s, I think that, me dissecting all the things I’ve done and really going back into that mindset and staying immersed in there, I think it’s I love I love the fact that I get to help and teach new people how to do this because number one, I get that euphoric high every time I help them make their first deal or you know, make money. I love that I love walking through that with them. But more importantly, I think it keeps me on a level that I like, you know what I mean? Like I’m, I don’t care who you are, like I write about, even in my book, like, I don’t care where you come from, I don’t care. Like you have something interesting to say that I’ve never heard before. You’ve experienced things that I’ve never experienced before. So my ears are wide open. Like I call it the 99 one rule in my book, which is, I don’t care if 90% of what you say is crazy, out there. Unbelievably ridiculous. There’s 1% of something I can grab. So I believe like everybody has a true unique perspective that they can share. So I’m My ears are wide open to that. And I think that’s only helped me on my journey.
David Ralph [12:04]
And he’s one of the reasons that you have dipped your foot marvellously into the world of podcasting with your with your show it is that ability to have those conversations those 99 to one kind of conversations as that excited you
Nick Ruiz [12:18]
I love it. In fact, that’s you know, I have Yeah, I do have a podcast called success from scratch, which kind of like supplements my book. But it’s more of an interactive just conversation very raw and off the cuff. And actually, we’re expanding into just talking to audience members like on like, talk to me, call me up and get on a three way here on the on the podcast, and just where you’re at where you at? Where are you coming from? What are you trying to do? Ask me anything? And yeah, very, just my ears are always wide open. And I feel like and that’s another thing that I and I’m not trying to plug the book every two seconds. I’m simply saying like, the let’s talk about this the opportunistic lens, okay, opportunity. And six opportunities are all around people crossing their under their nose every day. Most people just don’t speak the language of success and opportunity. So there’s a language barrier, I genuinely believe this, okay. And I use the example because it’s based on the lens you’re wearing, most people are wearing a lens over their eyes, that’s been conditioned to be on there from people, events, circumstances, from the first day they’ve been alive until now. And they don’t realise it, they don’t realise it. So it’s very important to understand that I use a comedian as an example, right? He has a comedic lens, he walks in and does average things in a grocery store, he buys a few things checks out, and he has 15 minutes worth of comedic material. Because he sees funny, he has a funny lens over his eyes, he sees funny, I see opportunity, okay, where most people don’t because I speak the language of opportunity. So if you think you know, so and so’s lucky, or David’s lucky, he has a big podcast and he’s doing well. He didn’t, you know, he saw opportunity. And he started learning the language of success and opportunity. And that’s the way it actually works. No one was born under the perfect star. And, you know, no one dropped podcast fairy dust on you, David, where all of a sudden you started getting listeners, like, you know, you put in the effort, along with seeing opportunities where you can maybe connect with someone to leverage this relationship to go here or there. That it’s a language success as a language.
David Ralph [14:22]
Now, I love the fact that you are opening it up to Silloth listeners, but I think if I offered people a three way God knows what get in return. I don’t know what I would get. It was to me. I’d probably get divorced if I was offering free ways to people Nick.
Nick Ruiz [14:39]
There you go. So you have the comedic lens do so you have more and more comedic material here.
David Ralph [14:46]
I would be struggling but in your show. I’m looking at your show at the moment. You’ve got some quite bold titles, and one of the one that’s really jumped out was Episode 15, which basically is F passion f Passion, just just what would you mean by that? He says, Is evolutionary?
Nick Ruiz [15:04]
Yeah, well, here’s the thing. I and I, and I believe this and it’s it’s one of the chapters in my book, monetizing your passion is dangerous, kind of a provocative title of a chapter. But what I mean is, that’s part of the success jargon that’s going around right now, which is whatever you’re passionate about make a living at. Okay? I do. I do think that’s dangerous blanket advice. Because, you know, maybe maybe years ago on the internet, when things were a little more wide open, but just because you like, you know, I don’t know, you know, painting, car windows with the dust that’s on there doesn’t mean you can make a living off of it or something. My point is, if people would understand their core core passion, which is they want to be financially free. Like, for example, me talking to you on this podcast, this didn’t like, this wasn’t in my original, like, quote, unquote, plan for my entrepreneurial career. Having this book, I was never planning on being an author, okay. My passion was financial freedom. And I believe each person has success passes, path is evolutionary. And so many people are rigid in their approach. Well, my passion is this, your passion can evolve. So if your passion is financial freedom, step into something to get you financially free. And actually, believe it or not, here’s the thing, once you’re financially free, whether you’re in a business you absolutely love, or it’s something that you kind of love. When you’re financially free, your actual Consciousness Changes. And I don’t know if you’ve seen that in your life, but your consciousness changes, where it’s almost like all these new doors are available than your current consciousness of being broke at your job and thinking about just your passion of knitting wouldn’t have been able to see. And I think it’s very dangerous to say, if you love knitting, you do knitting morning till night, and you’re going to make a living and you’re going to start a website, and you’re going to have a podcast about knitting. I think it’s dangerous advice. Because once you become financially free, maybe let’s say you get into another business, your consciousness will evolve 100% I’ve seen it in my life I’ve seen in other people’s lives. And again, if I stayed rigid in my passion and approach, I’m passionate about being an author right now, I want to write more books. This is my second book. Five years ago, that wasn’t my passion. Okay, so passion is very evolutionary along with your entire success path. And I think the rigidity of all these blanket statements that are out there right now, I’m just trying to bust a few of them and realise it doesn’t have to be like that, especially because people are listening. And they’re like, Oh, well, if that’s that, that’s what everyone’s saying, follow my passion, and I’ll make a living. I think they’re gonna end up in some problematic roadblocks. And I just think it’s dangerous blanket advice. I mean, no advice is for everybody. I look at success advice, like a diet, you eat peanut butter, you go into an electric shock, and it’ll kill you. I eat peanut butter, and I’m sharp, I got protein, I got energy, I’m ready to freakin you know, do bench presses in this book, and my thesis is based on that, which is, I show you how to walk your own evolutionary path. And I think success advice is no different than a diet for someone seriously. But
David Ralph [18:10]
don’t you think when they say follow your passion, what they’re sort of saying in a roundabout way of, if you go for something that you love, when things get difficult, when things get tough, you’re more likely to follow through, if you just go for something that is going to bring a load of money in and you don’t really love it, then it’s going to be even easier to stop.
Nick Ruiz [18:31]
I think that’s I think what you’re saying is the better context around that advice. But I’m saying so many people like have are just saying like, in this day and age, there’s opportunity everywhere, do what you love, and you’ll make a living without the more context around it, which I agree and by the way, being financially free, since one is being financially free for yourself and your family. not been the core item that would make you go through any hurdle bump, bruise, etc. You know, like, where did we forget that? Like, if you want to be free, and be spend time with your family, like that should be able to get you through some bumps and bruises. And if it doesn’t, that’s, that’s a problem in itself. You know, so I just think it has to be more evolutionary than just straightforward. Like if you love knitting, become a knitting expert and make money with it. And I think that’s where people I think there’s just a disconnect in that actual blanket advice, but I do I agree with what you said. Like if you hate what you’re doing, you’re gonna have a hard time going through the serious trials and tribulations I do agree. But I just think that the the general statement that’s being made is wrong. And
David Ralph [19:40]
let’s play some words. Now then, and sort of like because I’m going to be fascinated to see your spin on this slightly different than what we’re talking about, but almost the same as well.
Jim Carrey [19:48]
My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was Let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
David Ralph [20:14]
How did you take those words, Nick?
Nick Ruiz [20:16]
Yeah, no, I love that. I’ve actually heard that speech. And again, I don’t want this to look like I’m opposing, doing things you love. I just think that sometimes the things you love can’t be 100% monetized. So I think it just has to be evolved. And eventually you can do things you love, and some things you love can be monetized, I just think there’s certain things that people are passionate about, that aren’t going to take them where they think they want to go. And I just don’t want him to be stuck, well, I’m gonna keep doing this. And all of a sudden, it turns into something that they don’t love. But I do. Like, I’m passionate about what I feel blessed I I’m an entrepreneur, I’m a real estate entrepreneur. But again, I was open ended on my passion, because I knew I wanted financial freedom, I knew I wanted you know, location independence and all these other things. And again, if I stuck with you know, real estate, which was my core love, and didn’t stay open minded to evolve into new things, I wouldn’t I wouldn’t be writing I wouldn’t be talking to you, I wouldn’t be podcasting. And you know, what, once you start, I do believe once you become more and more financially free, your or your passion will evolve, and you’ll start to see more doors open. I just think the rigidity of everything, including just, this is what you do your wake up early, you write down your goals, you take you hustle for 15 hours a day. I just it’s it’s problematic, because I’ve seen people hustle for 15 hours a day from for a long time and have zero results. I see it with people, and you just have to be open for evolution. But I do you loving what you do is important. You know, I just I think certain things that people love aren’t as monetizable as they think they are. And if you’re truly trying to make a living for your family, you need to really question that. That’s what I’m trying to say.
David Ralph [21:58]
He does fascinate me doing this job where so many people are building businesses around something. But I think to myself, really, you know, there’s been about three or four people that have come through to me on the show. And I’ve accepted, I think two on the show that basically built a whole business around getting up early, get up early, and you’re out of bed at the same time as a toddler. And I think to myself, This is This is madness. Why do you want to get up at three o’clock in the morning and go to bed at six o’clock at night. But these people are building whole businesses
Nick Ruiz [22:26]
around this, it is unique that I mean, I’ve seen a very, very unique businesses, I hundred percent agree. And if they’re passionate about it, God bless them. And I just don’t want this to be taken as I’m not saying go for the money, forget your passion, because that’s also blanket advice that I 100% disagree with. I’m just saying it’s not black or white. There’s a spectrum of this. And I just think people need to stay open to, you know, if the goal and the path like when your passion is being financially free for yourself and your family. That’s a beautiful passion. Okay, and you start you can go down certain paths. But, you know, I just like to like, It excites me that I don’t know what I’m going to be doing five years from now, in a good way and you to David in five years. As an entrepreneur, the beauty of it is your path could take you to where all of a sudden, you know, next year you interview a guy who says hey, David, I want to show you X, Y and Z and then all of a sudden these doors open in two directions that you don’t know exist yet. To me, that’s exciting to me. That’s the the true evolutionary process of success. You know, and that’s the beauty of doing a podcast like this, you get introduced to so many people, but all of a sudden, some something could land in your lap. next March that you have no clue about right now. Okay, this episode.
David Ralph [23:40]
Let’s slow this down. And let’s talk about something that is keeps on popping into my head as you’re talking about it. And it’s the going for a goal achieving and I’ll give you an example financial freedom, okay. I remember working my butt off to become financially freedom from free for my family. And when I achieved it, I kind of felt nothing. I sat there and Okay, I’ve done it now. There. There wasn’t that excitement. I thought, Oh, this is gonna be amazing. It’s gonna be brilliant. It was just kind of flat. How would you keep the excitement up in your life? Because I’m crap at celebrating. Do you? Are you a great celebrator? Or do you just blink and move on to the next thing?
Nick Ruiz [24:16]
You know? That’s a good question. No one’s really asked me that before and I do celebrate, but I think I could a little more I am. I’m so passionate obsessed with the process of entrepreneurship. Like here’s the thing about me. I’m like an entrepreneur, entrepreneur, meaning I’m not like married to any specific business process or even real estate or anything like that. I I am obsessed and passionate with the process of business and entrepreneurship. So it’s like my hobby. I like business is my hobby. So it’s almost like I’ve intertwined celebration and like rewards with growing my businesses. And that’s that’s not as common as most people would look at people, you know, I’m a unique person that way. But I do like celebrating, but I’m not one to, like, close a deal and then go out and like buy a new watch or, you know, buy a new shirt, like, I just don’t care about a lot of like physical items, you know, for me time, you know, like, like, like freedom is a cash purchase. Like, that’s the way society is set up. And I write about that in my book, you have to write a check to be free. And in to me, time is the most valuable resource that a human has. And when I have time freedom, which takes actual financial, you need dollars, you need pounds, you need euros, whatever you whatever your currency is, you need that to actually have your time, you have to pay for time, you have to pay for your present and future time. And that that’s just so valuable to me, so so. So I love having time freedom. And that’s my celebration to do what I want, when I want how I want. And again, maybe I don’t, you know, buy as many things. But that’s not what celebration is to me. But that might be for someone, someone might go out and buy a new Mercedes when they make a big deal or something. You know, God bless you, you know, just don’t suffocate your profits. If you’re early on, I see a lot of people that start making money and they start suffocating their business with personal expenses quickly. And that’s dangerous.
David Ralph [26:10]
Last Friday afternoon, I was sitting here, my son suddenly had a half day off, and he’s what 15. And so we went and saw Spider Man, spider man homecoming, and I sat there in this half empty cinema with a couple of old people sitting at the front. And he had a coat and I had a coat. And as I was watching it, I was thinking, This is amazing. This is amazing. You know, the film wasn’t very good, but it just the fact that I could just go Yeah, come on, would go off and do it. And that, to me, is the greatest success that I will ever have the ability to control my time, even if it’s going to the movies, and seeing a half dodgy film in the afternoon.
Nick Ruiz [26:46]
I 100, I cannot agree with you more on what you just said, what you just described, is what I’m trying to get through to people like that is that is true freedom. And bottom line, whether if you had to write a check to be able to do that cash made you be able to do that. Because either you’re there’s two things you could have been doing that afternoon, which is having to work to produce a paycheck on Friday, and not be with your kid or you’ve established financial independence, which you have to enable you to do that with your kid. Like, and as you do it more and more. It’s hard to not take for granted. I mean, I’ve been financially free for a long time now. But the bottom line is to me, there’s nothing more valuable than Zack kind of time. Nothing. There’s no Mercedes, there’s no mansion, there’s no, you know, tropical vacation. Well, if you’re with your family, I guess yeah, but but there’s no purchase that Trumps that. And to me, that’s my ultimate passion is being able to wake up and do those things. Because I have three kids and I’m the I’m not usually the only dad on the field trips with them. You know, it’s all moms or, or grandparents, like you said, you’re in the theatre with a bunch of old people, like, you had to write a check for that ability, you needed cash in hand, to be free to do that. Period. So that’s why I’m so passionate about teaching financial independence, because it actually produces your time freedom, which actually is a big part of general happiness. Time is finite. You can’t, no matter who you are, it’s the same for everyone. But you can actually purchase your present and future time with financial independence. And that’s what excites me,
David Ralph [28:26]
does it when we look at your book again, as I say, I’m going up and down the DLA tunes chapters and I’m looking at the strategies. I some people are not born with the mental capability to absorb these strategies Aren’t you know, some people aren’t going to be good entrepreneurs, some people just can’t see it. But I’ll give you a classic example. My mom, she just cannot see it. She believes that everybody has to go to work to earn a living, and then come home. And I say this many different ways. Yeah, yeah. What happens if it ends? When it won’t end? Is the internet? Yeah, but what happens if their customers dry out? its abundance, its abundance. And I even said to her the other day, we got into Google Earth, and my mom is 80. And so she’s she’s blown away by Google Earth. And I went on to the satellite picture. And I pinpointed her house. And then I rolled the mouse back. So it went up into space. And I said, look at that. I said how many of your neighbours Do you need to be independent? Well, let’s go out further. This is just your road. If you just had the customers here, you’d be a millionaire. Let’s go for it was so abundant. They still can’t get it she still couldn’t get the fact that that was less risky, vain, actually going into a job and then somebody putting their hand on their shoulder and saying, sorry, Mister, you know, we don’t need you anymore. Just couldn’t couldn’t get it. So some people did not have that mental capability or they just can’t see it.
Nick Ruiz [29:47]
I have the perfect answer. I mean, the bottom line is your mother was conditioned a certain way based on her external circumstances, the people around her and events in her life and I focus heavily on this. In fact, my book is basically Two parts. And it’s I’m glad you asked this question because the first part is understanding why you think like that it breaks down your current perception, and then sheds light on a new perception that you need and how to develop it. These are higher level things. These aren’t the fluffy, generic things Pete most people are used to reading and hearing about and motivation and fluff. Like these are higher level, higher conscious mindsets seriously. And they are more advanced. But anybody can adopt these. You it’s just it, there’s a spectrum of how far you’ve been conditioned. Like, I agree with you. I know a lot of people It has nothing to do with her genetics or the way she was born. Okay, she’s been conditioned for decades to believe certain things. And the longer your condition, the more it’s going to take to unravel that conditioning. But look at you. in two seconds, you went on Google Earth, and you probably already peel back some of that disbelief. Now the issue all in and says, Does she want to start a podcast? No. Want to you know, start selling on ebay? No, but within that small little event, David, you were able to peel off us a sliver of the layer of disbelief where she’s like, oh, where she’s at least scratching her head.
David Ralph [31:12]
So my you know, my mom, Nick, you don’t know my mom. She’s like, she’s like granite. There’s there’s no peeling off granite.
Nick Ruiz [31:20]
And, you know, but my point is, you know, we are who we are because of prior conditioning like you are David Ralph at this exact moment, based on everything you’ve experienced, combined with your unique DNA. So everyone has a unique DNA, we’re born with a certain architecture I believe, like, like we’re, we’re drawn to certain things, etc, etc. But I do believe that there’s a lot of nurture throughout our life that can really, you know, drastically shape who we are as people. And yes, I mean, I, you know, poverty and broke is psychology. You know, abundant and wealthy is psychology. And that’s what I’m trying to tell people is you have, oh, my God, one of my favourite chapters in the book, chapter to success, success is taught out of us. Success is taught out of us. You look at babies, I have kids, you have kids, raw human nature is to keep going till you get what you want. Keep standing up until you don’t fall, stack five items on top of each other to get that thing that’s on the counter that you can’t reach, like, we are wired to succeed and be persistent and resilient. But when enough adults say, you know what, that’s dangerous, you better stop. You know what little Johnny, that’s dangerous. You can’t go there. You know what that’s gonna waste your time. Let’s go with the safe stuff over here. You’re slowly conditioned out of it. And it starts with childhood. We are conditioned out of our own hardwired success. I genuinely believe it.
David Ralph [32:43]
So So tell us your crazy story. There’s a chapter nightmare decision making crazy story. And that’s that’s piqued my interest.
Nick Ruiz [32:52]
Crazy nightmare decision making. Let’s see, where is that?
David Ralph [32:55]
chapter 16? Is it
Nick Ruiz [32:58]
16 as opposing forces?
David Ralph [33:01]
Does the podcast not run in the same chapters as you
Nick Ruiz [33:04]
bought? Oh, you know what I that that’s more off the cuff. And I kind of go into different tangents on the podcast. Yeah. So sorry. Yeah, the podcast episodes in the chapters do not align the unbelievably off the cuff. And we just spew things that coincide with the book, but then we go off on crazy tangents. So I actually got that one is not fresh on my mind. And that was crazy to me.
David Ralph [33:29]
If I couldn’t be bothered, I’d edit it to make it look professional. But I can’t be bothered. We just leave that in and and we just moved seamlessly on to the next stage.
Nick Ruiz [33:37]
So how, how quickly, can somebody sort of change their life? They pick your book up, they’re sitting in a cubicle at work? Can they start getting strategies instantly? Or is it something that I have to deal with exercises? And then masterminds? How quickly can the book life I mean, I mean, it’s going to shift you mentally, this book will change the way you think. So it’s, it’s designed to where once you read this book, and literally turn over the last page, and you’re done, your entire perception is different. So this isn’t, this is not the 10 Steps to Success, do this, check, do this check. And after 10 you can start being successful. This book changes the entire way you think it teaches you the language of success and opportunity. You know, this whole thing about you know, write down your plan, the 10 step plan to succeed? Well, I love the quote and I live by Mike Tyson’s quote, which is, everyone, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. Like that punch getting punched in the face is the standard in entrepreneurship. I’ve been. I’ve been in an entrepreneur my entire adult life. I’m 36 years old, I’ve been doing this 17 years. Plus as a kid, like getting punched in the face is required. Frequently, okay to be successful as an entrepreneur. So when you write out your quote unquote 10 step plan to succeeding and you get whacked Step three, how’s it how’s approaching step four looking, you might be so unconscious, we’re step four looks like looks completely different. So I want people to understand that rough draft moves is the key to all of this, and I break it down in my book, it’s one of my thesis, like, you don’t need to know everything, make a move, and analyse the actual data from the move you made that actually happened in the real world. You can whiteboard and, you know, spreadsheet out all your plans. And what if this, and this is my business plan, that is all theory, you’re analysing data. In an imaginary world, a rough draft move is, Hey, I know a little bit, I’m gonna make a move. You know what 99% of that sucked, I stumbled I stuttered, I broke it, it’s wrong. But that 1% that’s valid, then I can build off of that seed and make another rough draft move. So many people want to see their entire map before they start. And that’s dangerous. And it’s going to keep you from making a single move. So yes, when you read this book, your whole perspective will change you will make I mean, people hashtag all the time, rough draft moves everywhere, because it gets you to where you want to go quickly, like, your whole life could look different in the next 12 months, if you just embraced one of my chapters, which is rough draft moves your entire life, because most people have never made a rough draft move because they’re too busy in pre action analysis. I call it analysing stuff that isn’t real, do something and analyse what you did, which is actually an existence in the universe. That matters. Okay, when you started your show, you didn’t know everything. You’ve made so many mistakes in 800. Some episodes like you told me so many mistakes. But don’t you didn’t even know those mistakes existed because you had the perfect business plan on episode one. And you’re like, Oh, okay. And you I’m sure you’ve referred back to your original business plan if you even had one.
And you’re like, Okay, like, there’s no way
David Ralph [36:51]
Yeah, that’s a fascinating point actually jumping in there. Because when we launched Join Up Dots, I launched it as a podcast, I had no comprehension, what I was going to do once it became successful. And there was a big part of my life, I was just churning out the shows churning out the shows thinking, what do I do with it? I don’t want to do this. And I don’t want to do that. And I’m seeing what other people are doing. And so I just carried on ploughing through. And then it found it’s been totally, as you were saying before, but I think if I had a business plan at the beginning, I think I would have lost out on the real gold, I think I would have settled for something earlier on in the journey.
Nick Ruiz [37:27]
Now you’re talking my language. And that’s exactly right, this thing evolved, what you’re doing on episode 800. And whatever we’re on. Again, if you had a rigid business plan, a rigid business plan, which again, is a very common, like success preaching out there that I’m trying to, you know, keep people away from, you may not be doing exactly what you’re doing right now you left it open ended. And guess what, when you’re at a point where you started gaining some real following, you’re like, this could be a business, you made a rough draft move. Maybe it was right, maybe you got whacked in the face, but at least you know, that didn’t work, or it did work. And you got confirmed like it’s true evolution, like this is Darwinian capitalism we’re living in, and the economy is nature. So you make a move, and nature will either confirm it or eliminate it for you, the markets, the market. So I and I want people to be clear as entrepreneurs too. It’s you have to evolve, okay, and that’s part of what my bankruptcy taught me is what you’re doing yesterday may not work tomorrow. In fact, in this technology age, it probably won’t. So the economy will eliminate people who don’t adapt and evolve, and they will reward people who do so again, you’re on 800. And something when you’re on 1200. And something things may look a lot different. And to me, that’s exciting, because that only opens more and more doors.
David Ralph [38:43]
Well, let’s play some words now that we play every day on the show, and you will have heard these but they’re worth hearing again, Steve Jobs. Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards. 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference. You could sit in a bar of Steve Jobs and probably have a very good conversation because they’re that kindred spirits. He was somebody that very much went with gut intuition and worked through his issues and because of these issues, he came back stronger.
Nick Ruiz [39:39]
Yeah, no, I love that. And in fact, that goes a lot with my rough draft move theses, which is make the move you don’t you can’t I mean, I agree like you. You don’t know the exact connection, the business plan connection now. But if you make enough rough draft moves, you you you can rewind and be like, Oh, yeah, that led to that and then that led to that And that would lead to that, you know, when you don’t know where, where your success can lead you until you make those moves. The problem is most people are scared to make those moves because they, they’re they want, they want all the data, they want all the quote unquote data and information up front. Well guess what success doesn’t work that way. The most successful people, you know, didn’t have all the data, nor did they need it, you don’t need all the data, what you need is a little bit, I’m not saying jump in blind, I’m saying, make a move, use that data from the actual move you made to work to the next move, the data is in the prior move, or in Steve Jobs. And this is what I believe in, in Steve Jobs language, the prior dot, that’s where the data is, it’s in the dust behind you. And then you can pick up the dust and see what worked and what didn’t. And then you move to the next move. That’s the data I operate on. And I believe that’s why I was able to create success twice. That’s why I can easily show people how to create success. That’s why I wrote the book success from scratch. Because that that’s that’s where the actual, tangible and beautiful data comes from is the moves you make. I believe that genuinely.
David Ralph [41:03]
And can you take those moves and project them into stepping stones I’m always interested in as we talked about joining up the dots, but can you vote a dots forward and sort of step on them quite happily,
Nick Ruiz [41:16]
I think the more moves you make, the more you’re able to project in the future based, you know, everything I know about business is from me making moves is from me taking so much action. So I can project when I step into a new environment when I step into environments, and this is another skill I talked about which is reacting to new things. As an entrepreneur, I’ve been through thousands of circumstances. But guess what, every day, every week, every month, whatever it is, I’m always running into new things that I haven’t run into before. But because of all the moves I’ve made in the past, I actually can see how to navigate a brand new thing. And that’s a skill set that gets developed over time. So everything I do moving forward is based on the moves I’ve made in the past in some I screw up some I don’t but I screw up a lot less. Because of how how I’m how I’ve navigated so many unique situation, navigating unique situations is a skill set. So yeah, I operate optimally in new environments, because of all the moves I’ve made in the past. And because of all the muscle memory in my mind, I have for you know, if I get hit, I know how to quickly bob and weave even if it’s something I’ve never seen before. I know how to bob and weave quickly.
David Ralph [42:26]
And then how do you balance everything you’ve got your book coming on, you got your podcasts you’ve got Imagine you’re still doing alpha home flipping? How do you channel your energies so that all your clients get 100% out of you, but you’re not exhausting yourself and ending up each night as a broken man.
Nick Ruiz [42:44]
You know what, it’s it’s funny, the amount of things I have going on right now on my plate are unbelievably substantial. Like, it’s actually like scary how if I actually like listed everything that’s in the fire, it’s it’s unreal, but honestly, it’s because of how I strategize. You know, I’m a chess player. And that’s I just want to teach people like play chess. Most people are running around like pawns trying to, you know, slowly slice away at all someone else’s pieces. And when you play chess, you, you move on a higher level, like, you know what’s Okay, you talk about Google Earth. The reason I’m able to do so many things, David, is because I’m zoomed out. And then I dive in micro and I talked about this, I think at one of my podcast episodes, but people say, you know, someone asked me, Nick, are you more of the macro guy? Are you more of the micro guy micromanage. And you know, what I try to remain macro in be the string puller, the chess player, but but there’s no like one or the other. It’s not a binary decision, I will zoom in and dive deep micro to do some quick surgery. And then I slowly migrate back into macro. So I have tonnes of things going on right now. Because I stay macro. And I’m the chess player, like I in I talk about this, it’s very important to zoom out. But but also don’t think you’re such a big shot where you never have to go micro because that’s where your business will get destroyed. So I dive in micro where need be. And then I try to remain macro. And then when I see a micro I dive in, do the surgery and zoom back out macro. And that’s what allows me to have I mean, I mean, if I had to count how many like deals and just operations I have, it’s probably like 17 or 18 things in the fire right now. Some of them are very substantial, large things too. But again, I try to remain macro and have all my pieces in place. But I’m not scared to go micro when the time comes. And that that’s important. And that takes time again, it’s it’s, you know, you practice this and you slowly get better and better. But that’s how I’m able to do almost I’m not gonna say infinite things, but to do a lot. You know, you got to play chess.
David Ralph [44:47]
You’ve got to play chess so you can end up watching Spider Man in an afternoon that’s that
Nick Ruiz [44:51]
our chess player has that ability and yet that’s what you do. That’s what you’ve done as well. Yes. If you want to watch Spider Man at 2pm with your kid at the movie theatre with all the old people you You need to be a chess player, period.
David Ralph [45:02]
It doesn’t get any better people, it really doesn’t you you sit there on a Thursday afternoon or Friday afternoon, and you know, you haven’t got a boss. And I tell you what, it’s worth everything. It really is worth everything. Yeah, well, what what we’re going to do now, Nick, we’re gonna bring the show to an end, you’ve done this before. But this time, we’re going to send you back in time to have a one on one with your younger self, from the last time that you came on the show. So we’re talking about a couple of years ago. So if you could go back in time and speak to the two year ago, Nick, what advice would you give? Well, we’re going to find out because I’m going to play the theme. And when it fades, you’re up. This is the Sermon on the mic.
Nick Ruiz [46:03]
Yeah, well, I would tell my younger self, you know, even a couple years ago, like we’re going back to make more rough draft moves. It is my thesis, I wrote this chapter, I talk about this for myself as well. Like I look at all the drastic things I’ve done in the last few years. And they’re based on certain rough draft moves, all I can say is make more of them, I still get caught up, everyone gets caught up in over analysing and getting into pre action analysis. When it’s the post action that matters every time I’ve stepped out and made even just now in these last few years, I noticed exponential results. Because I have the data in my dust when the dust settles, I can pick up all the right pieces and throw out all the wrong ones. So just I’m obsessed with rough draft moves. And I think that that that would have brought even more success at at a faster rate. It’s unbelievable. So that that would be my advice for me three years ago, because I look at what I’ve done and what I could have probably done more by making more rough draft moves. But it’s it’s hard to get out of that analyzation sometimes, I often
David Ralph [47:07]
stuff. Absolutely. So what’s the number one best way that our audience can connect with you, sir?
Nick Ruiz [47:13]
Well, they can. If you real estate entrepreneurship from scratch is alpha home flipping calm. I would say the book has unbelievable bonuses for people who buy more than one copy. That’s that success from scratch.net. In fact, I’m scared to give away a lot of these things because it’s ultra valuable. I do have a reality show youtube.com forward slash Nick rose entrepreneur. And it’s also on facebook.com forward slash alpha home flipping, where I have a videographer that follows me around as I do business. So there’s a lot of fakers out there that preach a lot of things and they’re good at marketing, but they don’t do actual business. I record myself doing business as a real entrepreneur. So you can see number one, you can learn from it. But number two, it’s proof that I don’t just preach this stuff. I’m living it every single day and you can watch it on video, unscripted and raw. I’m gonna
David Ralph [48:01]
go over myself and listen to that and watch that. That sounds great. It does say um, yeah, YouTube, here I come. But Nick, thank you so much for spending time with us today, joining up those dots. And please come back again when you have even more dots to join up because I do believe that but joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to build our futures. Nick, thank you so much,
Nick Ruiz [48:20]
David. It’s been fun, great conversation seriously, thank you for having me.
David Ralph [48:26]
Nick row as Nick roux is absolute delight to have him for the second time on the show. And if you are interested in hearing more about Nick go back to episode nine, where he delivered an absolute masterclass about building a business and overcoming the struggles and the trials and tribulations. He’s really rocking and rolling and you can hear it on the show so absolute delight to hear from him again. But a be an absolute delight to have all of you guys here again when we come again to you is with another episode of Join Up Dots. Thank you so much for listening, and we will see you again soon. Just
Outro [48:59]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you or wants to become. So he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to Join Up dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on Join Up Dots.
