Almost daily, I get calls from around the state due to my YouTube channel. People call with a specific question. Sometimes they call to register for a class. Sometimes they call to thank me and tell me they passed the Florida real estate state exam.
Recently, someone called and asked me what study material I recommend. Here’s a summary of the call:
Caller: Your videos make things so easy to understand. Is there any study material you recommend? Any books or apps or videos I should buy?
Me: I recommend a book called Florida Real Estate Exam Manual by Linda Crawford. Or you can get the QBank that’s on my website?
Caller: I saw a book on another site called _____. Should I get it?
Me: I recommend the Exam Manual or the Q Bank.
Caller: What about this app? Should I get it?
Me: I recommend the Exam Manual of the Q Bank.
Caller: What about this other book? Is it good?
It was clear that she was asking for my advice, but really wanted me to confirm that these other materials were good. I said, “If you are a collector, then yes, you should purchase all of those books and apps. There are people who like to collect study material. If you are a collector, then yes, you should buy all of that material. On the other hand, if you are someone who wants to pass the state exam, you should use the material you have. Don’t buy more books. Actually, use the books you have. Study the material. Do the practice questions. Really understand the material.”
It reminds me of a group I used to be a part of. I am a children’s entertainer, so I was interested in learning ventriloquism. Florida has a ventriloquism club. After a few meetings, I realized that there are people in the group who has several ventriloquist figures that cost thousands of dollars each, but they never use any of them. At each meeting, they would bring their new figure. They’d tell use who made it, what special features it had, who owned or used it before them. It was show and tell, not a performance. Then there were other people who would show up with a mass-produced puppet that probably cost about $40. They would do a short performance with the puppet.
Some people joined the group to become ventriloquists – they even called themselves ventriloquists – but they are actually collectors. They would have a hard time doing a three-minute routine. Other people joined to become ventriloquists, bought a cheap puppet but put in the effort, and now are making a living as a ventriloquist.
Don’t pile the books up. Open them up and study from them. So do you want to be the person who spends hundreds of dollars on study material and can’t pass the exam? Or do you want to be the person who puts in the effort to study, passes on the first try, and is not making a living selling real estate?