I’ve been thinking a lot about the simple habits that separate struggling investors from the ones who thrive, and this conversation reminded me just how foundational the basics really are. I pulled together ten principles I learned from my good friend Tom Krol, a guy who built his business through real trial and error. These aren’t theories or motivational fluff. They’re real habits that have shaped my own journey and the journey of thousands of investors I’ve coached.

As I walked through each point, I found myself revisiting the times I ignored these habits and paid the price and the seasons where I doubled down on them and everything started growing again. Whether you’re new to real estate or scaling into bigger numbers, these ten habits can completely shift the trajectory of your business and your life. They’re simple, but they’re not always easy. If you take them seriously, things will change.

What’s Inside:

—Why the people you spend time with determine your long-term success

—How reading daily transforms your decision-making and clarity

—The power of tracking net worth and putting revenue first

—The mindset shift that comes from massive imperfect action

The fastest way to lose momentum and money in this business is to get buried in the chaos that happens after you put a property under contract. Most investors think losing a deal comes from bad marketing or weak negotiation, but more often it happens because nobody is truly owning the closing process. Title delays, missing documents, confused sellers, nervous buyers, and endless back and forth can quietly kill what should have been an easy five- to twenty-thousand-dollar payday.

That’s why I brought my friend David Olds on to talk about what really happens behind the scenes and how to finally fix it. David is a longtime investor who built a transaction coordination company designed specifically for the problems we face as land investors. What shocked me is how simple he’s made this for anyone in real estate and how inexpensive it is when you structure it the right way. The truth is your time is far too valuable to waste chasing title companies, tracking paperwork, or herding buyers and sellers. When you hand this off, your deals close faster, smoother, and with almost zero stress.

If you want more time to focus on marketing, making offers, and following up, this is one of the smartest upgrades you can make. Get exclusive access through closelikejoe.com.

What’s Inside:

—Why investors lose deals even when the numbers look great

—The hidden bottlenecks inside every wholesale or land closing

—How transaction coordination speeds up assignments and double closes

—The simple contract line that makes the buyer cover the TC fee

I’ve been doing this for a long time—thousands of podcast episodes, countless students, and hundreds of deals—and I’ve noticed something powerful. The most successful people I’ve coached aren’t the smartest or most experienced; they’re the ones who keep things simple and stay consistent. In this episode, I break down the top ten lessons I’ve learned from my most successful clients. These aren’t theories or guru talk. This is what’s actually working for real people doing deals right now.

From why consistency always beats perfection, to how simplicity scales, to the mindset that separates the winners from the rest…this is your shortcut to real results. Whether you’re flipping land, wholesaling houses, or just starting out, these principles will keep you moving forward and making money.

What’s Inside:

—The 10 proven habits of the most successful members in the Dirt Flippers community

—Why consistency is more powerful than perfection

—How keeping things simple builds unstoppable momentum

—The mindset that separates deal-makers from dreamers