When it comes to building a business and increasing your income, there’s no shortage of advice. Everyone seems to have a different strategy — from affiliate marketing and brand collaborations to launching digital products, selling physical goods, or offering coaching services.
It can feel overwhelming trying to decide what to do first.
Do you try everything at once and hope something sticks? Or do you double down on one idea and risk missing out on other opportunities?
The truth is, sustainable growth and consistent income come from mastering two core principles: modelling and focus.
These two ideas sound simple, but if you commit to them, they’ll change the way you approach business. Let’s break them down.
Principle One: Modelling Success
The first principle is something Tony Robbins calls modelling. His advice is straightforward:
“Find someone who has achieved the results you want, model what they do, and you’ll achieve the same results.”
Notice the word is model, not copy. Modelling means studying the strategies, processes, and behaviours of people who are already successful in your field, then adapting those lessons to your own business.
Why Modelling Works
Success leaves clues. No one gets to the top by accident — whether it’s in business, health, fitness, or creative industries. If someone has achieved the result you want, it’s because they’ve figured out a system that works.
Rather than trying to invent everything from scratch, you can save years of trial and error by learning from their example.
Think of it this way: if you wanted to learn how to bake bread, would you spend months experimenting in the kitchen with no recipe? Or would you follow a recipe from a baker who’s already mastered it? Business works the same way.
Modelling in Action: A Beauty Brand Example
Say you’re launching a new beauty brand and want to grow your income. Instead of guessing how to market and sell your products, look at what your successful competitors are doing.
- Buy their products – go through their sales funnel, from browsing their website to receiving their follow-up emails.
- Analyse their branding – how do they position their products? What story do they tell?
- Check their customer experience – what’s their shipping like? How do they handle customer service?
- Observe their pricing and offers – are they using bundles, discounts, or subscription models?
By reverse-engineering their approach, you’ll start to see the strategies behind their success. You don’t copy them directly; instead, you model their process and adapt it to fit your own brand voice and values.
Modelling in the Fitness Industry
Or imagine you’re a personal trainer in a city where another trainer is fully booked. Instead of competing blindly, you could:
- Follow their social media and see what content drives engagement.
- Analyse their pricing packages.
- Observe how they structure group sessions versus one-to-one coaching.
- Even reach out and offer to pay them for advice or mentorship.
This is far more effective than simply trying random tactics. You’re taking proven methods, learning from them, and applying them in your own way.
How I Use Modelling Personally
In my own life, I apply modelling constantly. Whenever I want to improve in a particular area, I find people who’ve already done what I want to achieve.
I’ve worked with:
- Business and marketing coaches to refine my growth strategies.
- Productivity coaches to manage time and priorities better.
- Health professionals like naturopaths, acupuncturists, and fitness trainers to improve wellbeing.
- Industry leaders in the beauty space to learn specialised techniques.
Sometimes I attend events or buy their courses. Other times I invest in one-to-one coaching. The point is that I don’t try to figure everything out alone. I learn from those who’ve already mastered it.
That’s the heart of modelling.
Getting Started with Modelling
You don’t need a huge budget to start. Here are some simple ways:
- Books and podcasts – Many successful people share their strategies for free or at low cost.
- Online courses – Affordable training often gives you the “blueprint” of how someone succeeded.
- Networking and masterminds – Connect with others in your industry, learn from their wins and mistakes.
- Mentorship – If you can afford it, hire a coach or consultant who has real-world experience.
Wherever you are financially, there’s always a way to start modelling.
Principle Two: Focus
The second principle is equally important: focus.
Robert Kiyosaki has a phrase for it: FOCUS = Follow One Course Until Success.
It’s tempting to try everything at once — affiliate marketing, e-commerce, digital products, coaching. But chasing too many opportunities usually means spreading yourself too thin. You end up dabbling in each area without mastering any of them.
Why Lack of Focus Hurts Growth
Think of it like chasing rabbits. If you try to chase two at once, you’ll catch none.
In business, when you split your energy across multiple income streams, you dilute your efforts. You’ll struggle to make meaningful progress in any one area, and you’ll likely burn out.
The Power of Going All In
The smarter approach is to choose one monetisation strategy and commit to it fully.
- If you want to coach, go all in on building your coaching practice.
- If you want to launch online courses, dedicate yourself to creating and marketing them.
- If you want to build an e-commerce brand, focus on mastering product development, fulfilment, and sales.
This doesn’t mean you’ll never explore other income streams. It simply means you start with one, master it, and then expand once you’ve built a solid foundation.
How to Stay Focused
Here’s how I personally stay on track and avoid getting distracted:
1. Set Yearly Goals
Each year, I set a big target — usually around revenue. For example: “This year, my business must generate X amount.” That becomes my guiding star.
2. Break It Down
I then break that big goal into monthly, weekly, and daily targets. This makes it achievable instead of overwhelming.
3. Use Trello for Idea Capture
I use Trello as my “brain dump”. Any idea that comes to mind gets added there, instead of floating around in my head or scattered on sticky notes. I organise ideas into boards (e.g. courses, marketing, team management) so everything has a place.
This clears mental space and prevents overwhelm.
4. Use a Calendar for Time Blocking
My digital calendar is where I schedule actual work time. Appointments, meetings, and deep work sessions all go in the calendar, so I know exactly when things will get done.
5. Daily Planning
Each morning, I check Trello and my calendar, then decide the three most important tasks for the day. I write them in a daily planner with time slots, so I stay accountable.
At the end of the day, I review what got done, what didn’t, and adjust for tomorrow.
The Combination of Modelling and Focus
Here’s where it all comes together:
- Modelling gives you the strategy. By studying those who’ve already succeeded, you get the roadmap.
- Focus gives you the execution. By committing to one course of action, you give yourself the best chance of making real progress.
Without modelling, you risk reinventing the wheel. Without focus, you risk scattering your energy. Together, they form a powerful system for growth.
Final Thoughts: How to Generate Real Income
At the end of the day, income comes down to a simple process:
- Create a product or service.
- Use marketing to attract people.
- Guide them into a sales process.
- Close the sale and deliver value.
That’s the fundamental engine of any business.
But to make that engine run smoothly and profitably, you need the right mindset and approach. And that’s where modelling and focus come in.
- Modelling ensures you’re learning from proven strategies instead of guessing.
- Focus ensures you’re applying those strategies with consistency and commitment.
So ask yourself:
- Who in my industry has already achieved what I want?
- Am I truly focused on one monetisation path, or am I spreading myself too thin?
The answers to those two questions will shape your success more than any “hack” or shortcut.
Takeaway
If you take only two lessons away from this article, let them be these:
- Don’t go it alone — model those who’ve already succeeded.
- Don’t spread yourself too thin — focus on one course until success.
When you apply these principles, you stop chasing random tactics and start building a business that grows in a deliberate, predictable way.
That’s how you move from scattered results to real, sustainable income.
📌 Remember: success is not about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things, the right way, with full commitment.
