Introduction

There’s a particular kind of restlessness that doesn’t feel like panic, but it isn’t calm either. It shows up quietly — a pressure in the chest, a tension in the jaw — and a persistent internal voice saying you should be further by now.

I’ve felt that urge for most of my life, especially around property investing. The sense that if I don’t move faster, I’m falling behind. That if I just push harder, take one more deal, or find the right shortcut, everything will finally click.

But over time, I’ve come to realise that this urge to rush is often the very thing that keeps people stuck — not just in property, but in how they approach growth itself.

Most People Play the Property Game Like Monopoly — and Get It Wrong

Whether someone is chasing cash flow, long-term wealth, or simply security, most investors approach property the same way: rushing for quick wins.

We chase small deals. We fight for marginal gains. We look for speed.

But Monopoly — the actual game — doesn’t reward speed. It rewards patience, repetition, and knowing when to stop playing small.

What most people miss is that the game only changes after you’ve gone around the board multiple times. Before that, it’s all houses. Admin-heavy. Emotion-heavy. Energy-draining.

The Early Game Is Harder Than Anyone Admits

When I started investing, I thought I knew what I was doing. I’d read the books, listened to the podcasts, and understood the theory.

So I started buying:

• Buy-to-let properties

• Small flips

• Student accommodation

• Airbnbs

Each one felt like progress. Each one felt like a win.

Sometimes they were wins. But what nobody tells you is how demanding the early game really is. Tenant calls. Partner disagreements. Costs that look fine on paper but feel very different in real life.

Most people don’t fail because their deals are bad.
They fail because they don’t realise they’re still in the early game — and they quit too soon.

They expect hotel-level returns while they’re still playing with houses.

Why Impatience Breaks the Game

Going around the board again and again isn’t celebrated. It’s repetitive. It’s unglamorous. And it’s where impatience creeps in.

This is where comparison starts. Rushing starts. Forcing growth starts.

And forced growth in property is like building houses on borrowed confidence. Eventually, something cracks.

The deals aren’t the problem. Timing is.

The Real Turning Point Wasn’t Strategy — It Was Restraint

For me, the shift didn’t come from a new strategy. It came from restraint.

In Monopoly, you don’t get a hotel by hoarding houses. You get a hotel by selling them.

Letting go of several “good” deals was terrifying. They were familiar. They were producing. They felt safe.

But they were also keeping me small.

When I finally stepped into a longer-term, more complex development, everything changed. A deal that started around R15 million moved to a valuation of R31 million. A 52-unit development — including a school — fundamentally shifted the scale of what was possible.

On smaller properties, even doubling the value wouldn’t have created that kind of impact.

That wasn’t luck.
It was timing.
It was patience.
It was knowing when the game had actually changed.

Property Growth Is as Much About Identity as It Is About Assets

The deeper lesson here isn’t really about deals. It’s about identity.

Most people don’t lose money because they choose the wrong asset. They lose money because they choose growth that doesn’t match who they’re ready to become.

Truth matters. Purpose matters. And possibility only opens up when you stop rushing toward outcomes you haven’t yet earned.

This isn’t about hype or shortcuts. It’s about understanding both the game and yourself well enough to play it properly.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for quick wins, hacks, or hype, there are plenty of voices offering that. But real wealth compounds quietly, through patience, maturity, and restraint.

The game doesn’t reward speed.
It rewards those who stay long enough to recognise when it’s time to stop playing small.

5. WATCH / LISTEN CTA (STANDARDISED – USE THIS EVERY TIME)

Watch or Listen

If you’d prefer to watch this episode on YouTube, you can find the full podcast here:
https://www.youtube.com/@MeetMichaelBowen/podcasts

Or, if you’d rather listen on Apple Podcasts, you can find the episode here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/flip-the-script/id1865220280

To explore more thinking on property, freedom, and designing life intentionally, visit:
https://meetmichaelbowen.com/start-here