In the real estate investing world, it’s easy to get caught in the trap of trying to do everything. You see other investors flipping homes, managing rentals, wholesaling deals, raising capital, and crushing it (at least from the outside looking in). So, naturally, you might think, “I should be doing all of that too.”

Here’s the truth: all real estate strategies can work. You can make money flipping, wholesaling, buying notes, investing in multifamily, or anything in between. But success doesn’t come from doing everything—it comes from doing the right thing, really well.

The Formula That Actually Works

The most important strategy isn’t the latest market hack or secret list—it’s the formula you operate by. That starts with understanding a few key things:

• Your personality traits

• Your resources

• Your long-term goals

Some investors thrive on the thrill of the hunt—calling leads, making offers, and closing deals. Others prefer building systems, managing the books, or working behind the scenes. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but there is a formula that’s right for you.

Step one is defining who you are and what you want to be doing every day.

Ask yourself:

• Do I enjoy talking to buyers and sellers?

• Am I energized by managing renovations and contractors?

• Do I prefer analyzing deals, doing the books, or raising capital?

Every real estate business has these moving parts—but you don’t need to be in the middle of all of them. In fact, you shouldn’t be.

Stick to Your Strengths—and Delegate the Rest

Once you know what your strengths are, go all in on them. That’s where your time, energy, and focus should be.

Then, start building support around you:

• Outsource what you don’t enjoy or aren’t good at

• Hire help for tasks that are time-consuming or outside your wheelhouse

• Automate processes wherever possible with tech and systems

This is how you build a business, not just a hustle.

The 80/15/5 Rule (Flipped the Right Way)

You’ve probably heard of the 80/15/5 rule—that most people spend:

• 80% of their time on unproductive tasks

• 15% on semi-productive tasks

• and only 5% on what actually moves the needle

That’s a recipe for burnout, not success.

If you want to scale your investing business, you have to flip that ratio. Spend at least 80% of your time on proactive, money-making activities—those that bring in deals, drive revenue, or push you closer to your goals. Everything else? Systematize or delegate it.

Bottom line: Real estate investing is a business—and the most successful business owners don’t try to do it all. They focus on their strengths, build a team (or system) around their weaknesses, and stay laser-focused on the tasks that actually matter.

Define your formula. Stick to it. And execute it daily.