A couple of weeks ago, I shared how important systems are in real estate investing. At the time, I was focused on building processes that could help me manage properties and future deals without losing my mind.

But lately, I’ve found myself circling back to Gary Keller’s book The One Thing. The reminder is simple but powerful: when everything feels overwhelming, ask yourself—what’s the one thing I can do right now that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?

For me, that’s meant slowing down and going back to shore up the systems I already talked about. Instead of racing ahead, I’m making sure the basics are solid—things like tracking income and expenses, keeping communication templates ready, and organizing documents in one place. They may not be glamorous tasks, but they’re the foundation.

It’s tempting to keep charging toward growth—more properties, more deals, more moving parts. But if the systems aren’t in place, growth just magnifies the chaos. By narrowing my focus to one thing at a time, the big picture feels a lot less overwhelming.

And honestly? This applies outside of real estate too. I can’t meal prep for the week, organize the garage, and finally learn how to fold a fitted sheet all at once. But I can tackle one of those things—and suddenly life feels a lot more manageable.

The takeaway? Don’t just build systems—make sure you stick with them and refine them before piling on more. Sometimes the best way forward is to pause, reset, and do the one thing that sets everything else up for success.