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The Man Who Has More Tanks Than Most Countries (Does Your Why Need To Pivot?)

Ben Kelly Ben KellyMarch 18, 2024 · 6 min read
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The Man Who Has More Tanks Than Most Countries (Does Your Why Need To Pivot?)


The Man Who Has More Tanks Than Most Countries (Does Your Why Need To Pivot?)

Tim Isaac’s father got an interesting idea in the 1960s.  He decided that he wanted to start collecting tanks.  Not toys or figurines but actual working tracked vehicles with a cannon and armor.  You would think that it would have scratched that itch after buying that first tank.  Nope.  Tim’s father expanded past tanks to military trucks, armored cars, guns, helmets, artillery, and grenades.  The Isaacs were definitely not a neighbor you would want to annoy, or you might see this rolling down your driveway.

During an interview with Forces News, Tim said the quiet part out loud stating that his dad had a “hobby that went wildly out of control.”  So much so that it pushed the family to near bankruptcy.  When Tim was in charge of the collection he either had to make a change or sell everything.

He chose the former, choosing to transform the vehicles into a museum and prop rentals for movies.  The collection was saved.  The key was the family’s ability to pivot.  Everything changed once they adopted a different mindset that transformed the purpose of the collection.


Don’t Ignore The Why

There are a lot of different ways to make money.  So much so, that people will debate with each other on which million-dollar method is better.  Although this is a fun debate, it can be a dangerous path because it can lead to chasing wealth for its own sake and turn into an addiction.  When this happens, your money controls you and not the other way around.  This situation occurs more often than you might think.

One reason that people fall into this trap is that they don’t have the right “why”.  Most entrepreneurs focus on money as the solution to their problems, instead of designing the life they want first and then building a business that generates enough cash flow to service that life.  This kind of mental work takes time but is totally worth it in the end.  Try this exercise.

Don’t ask yourself how much money you want to make.  Instead, figure out what you truly believe in and what is your purpose.  Focus on getting your mind, health, and spirit right before you do anything as these are the things that give you mental strength.  Having a purpose mindset like this also gives you the energy to move forward when you encounter obstacles (which you will most certainly do).

You may not know this but a lot of people who win the business game just outlast everyone else.  They aren’t necessarily smarter or harder workers but their powerful “Why” prevents them from stopping.  On the other hand, people who are solely motivated by money quit all the time.  Having a strong why decreases friction in your life.


Increase Bandwidth, Don’t Try To Max It Out

When you design your life to create as much space as possible for your “real” goals, it will start to impact your decisions on how you make your money.  If you decide to build a business (or buy a portfolio of them) as your vehicle for money, the time required becomes a big consideration.  This is why cash flow and passive income strategies become paramount for a lot of people.  It doesn’t serve you to chase money, only to max out your bandwidth so that burnout is inevitable.  This is what makes your original mindset work so important.

tw profile: Ben Kelly

Ben Kelly, founder of Acquisition Ace
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