Rather than spending your life fearing risks, you must learn to manage them. Especially if you are investing in real estate. In fact, no one ever made money investing in the Arizona real estate market without taking a risk.

A vast majority of very wealthy individuals know that true wealth is only made through learning to manage risk, not through avoiding it. As a real estate investor, you must know that risk is perceived in different ways and you likely deal with it on your own terms. Here are the five different viewpoints of risk. See which one fits you best:

1. Win through being comfortable

Your primary goal is to go through life completely stress-free and comfortable. Everything in your life is designed to support their pursuit of comfort. You are likely content as lifelong employee who isn’t really seeking to climb the ladder in your job.

2. Win through the likability factor

Your primary goal in life is to gain acceptance from those who surround you. You’d rather be liked than win at anything. If put in a leadership role, your business will likely suffer because you aren’t willing to make tough decisions and calls. You don’t want to offend or upset anyone.

3. Win by being right

You are an expert in your specific field. You don’t tend to accept criticism and new ideas very well and you tend to reach a ceiling when it comes to progressing with finances, relationships, and career choices. You have a hard time being honest with yourself, which makes it even more difficult to achieve any semblance of personal growth. Everyone finds it pointless to argue with you because you will always find some way to prove them wrong, validating your points endlessly until the other person backs off.

4. Win by winning

You are the ultimate achiever and your primary motivation is to win at any cost.  You constantly push yourself to gain a needed edge. You usually only quit something to pursue a better opportunity. This category describes all successful entrepreneurs. The downside is that you risk going too far and compromise your integrity in order to win.

5. Win by losing

You play the victim and win by gaining the sympathy of others. You tend to sabotage yourself when things begin to improve, and your life is filled with perpetual problems. You think things are just scams, that someone is out to get you, and you aren’t willing to take huge leaps of faith.

Which one of these personality types am I?

Most likely, you see a little of yourself in each of these categories. Understand that if you’re going to avoid perceived risk, you will develop the tendency to never get ahead.

Who gets ahead as a real estate investor?

The guy who is winning by winning is clearly the one who gets ahead in the Arizona real estate market. You have to see that your greatest risk is wasting that precious commodity called time. You must manage your risk by only investing in properties you know will sell for a profit. If you are standing at the trustee sale bidding aimless in hopes of finding that one gem of a deal, then the next guy is going to come along and take advantage of the true deals in the market. Use your time wisely and don’t be afraid to go after real opportunity in the market.