There are pluses and minuses in each compartment of life we find ourselves in, whether it is our job, our relationships, or where we live. Living in Thailand, AKA the Land of Smiles (and also a favorite country of mine), isn’t all pluses, but there sure are a lot of them. Itamar Marani is quick to acknowledge this and he points out the only negative is that he doesn’t yet have the local community of entrepreneurs he would like to have who are looking to reach their next level of challenge and success. His business of coaching top-tier individuals in mindset and helping them realize and overcome their challenges is one of many reasons why I was happy to speak with him about the importance of a strong mindset in finding our desired level of freedom.
The Search for Fulfillment
Itamar started his first of several careers in the Israeli Special Forces, serving his country. He served in many aspects of national security, including as an undercover agent and as an air marshal for a short time. However, he realized during this time that he wanted to challenge himself more. So, he packed a bag and headed to Brazil.
His reason for moving to Brazil was the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). The art of BJJ is not about overcoming an opponent through brute strength or overpowering size, but instead with tactical skill and maneuverability. Reaching the level of black belt is no small feat, and as Itamar grew to that level, he began to compete and prove his ability at championship-level competitions. However, finding success but not fortune, he realized that he was ready to do more with his life.
As luck would have it, a former boss reached out to Itamar and asked if he would be interested in working for his newly founded security firm. A flight to London was purchased and the promise of double the amount of money he had made while serving in the agency for his former boss, meant a chance for some financial reward for a change. Guarding a billionaire Russian who wanted to chase sunsets from his opulent yacht was attractive as well, but Itamar also saw the opportunity to grow himself through learning from someone who had become immensely successful and wealthy. So, he took the opportunity and began his first job in private security.
Seeing the Other Side of Success
As Itamar began working as an on-the-hip security leader for a newly retired billionaire, he hoped to learn from the wisdom that anyone so successful must surely have. He did learn valuable insight into the path of financial freedom, but the best lesson was about what not to do in your life as opposed to doing the right things in business.
Itamar protected a man who had found the ultimate level of success of financial wealth, but the cost to do so left him agitated and negative in his mindset and outlook on life. His life had been focused on making money, obtaining power, and enacting control over those around him. Families usually don’t respond well to those types of acquired skills, though. Wives want a husband who is there for them. Children want a dad who is there for them. Money, power, and success are great, but only when the other needs of a happy life are met as well.
Itamar spent a couple of years learning what he could and excelling at his job. The job inhibited the ability to develop a personal relationship with a woman and have a family if he was out of contact every other month due to his job. So, with both the good and the bad of what he learned from his client, Itamar decided to set off on his next career, the career of an entrepreneur. He wanted to help others obtain what his mega-rich client had obtained as far as financial and location freedom, but by teaching them how to succeed through the correct mindset of chasing down their dreams. He wanted others to learn about the balance in life that is required to find success in business and at home, so when the time comes to reap the benefits of their business acumen, their family would be proud and by their side, instead of resentful and wary.
Guiding Others to Success
Most entrepreneurs start down their path with some form of pain in their life. Maybe it’s a job they don’t like. Perhaps it is a love of travel that they can’t afford. Or, maybe it is just the constant need to serve others instead of being free to chase their dreams. Whatever the source of pain may be, it has to become bad enough that the person decides to take action.
Itamar’s approach to coaching others is particularly nuanced because he works with clients at different tiers of success. The six-figure entrepreneur tends to be successful through sweat equity. The more they put into their business, the more they can take out of it. Unfortunately, this type of thinking doesn’t translate well to the next tier of wealth. Each level of success brings new tools to use, and new challenges to overcome. The seven-figure entrepreneur must leverage their new tools and be more strategic in their thinking. They must graduate from the level of thinking that a six-figure entrepreneur employs if they ever hope to reach their next level.
Itamar has found success as a coach because he understands the need for entrepreneurs to not focus on the limiting beliefs of their mindset, which are often tied to emotions. He shows his clients that the best way to overcome the fear of taking on any new challenge is to accept that there will be pain and hardship, but that those are not necessarily indicators of taking the wrong path. Pain can be the marker that lets you know you are on the right path. Pain can even be the impetus that starts you down the road to fulfillment. Making peace and accepting that the pain is simply an obstacle on the path and not a dead end, is the logical approach. As Ryan Holiday says in his book, “The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.”
And sometimes that path leads you to places like Thailand.
This article was written by Neel from MaidThis Franchise, a remote-local franchise opportunity for people looking to escape the rat race and reach financial freedom. Learn more here.
