Why You Will Fail in 2026 (Unless You Do This)
Success in property rarely comes down to finding one perfect opportunity. It comes from having the mindset, structure and support required to make good decisions consistently over time.
These lessons are designed to help ADF members approach property with greater confidence, protect themselves from avoidable mistakes and remain in the game long enough to achieve meaningful results.
Robbie Turner shares six practical principles for achieving greater success in property, business and life throughout 2026.
He explains how education and preparation can replace fear and uncertainty with confidence and decisive action.
The video highlights the importance of maintaining physical and mental energy so fatigue does not undermine consistency or decision quality.
Robbie discusses why investors must understand their cash flow, maintain financial buffers and avoid being forced to sell under pressure.
He also explains how clear decision filters and frameworks can remove emotion, hesitation and unnecessary guesswork.
Risk management is presented as a vital part of protecting a property portfolio and preparing for circumstances that may not go to plan.
Finally, Robbie reflects on his own investing mistakes and encourages viewers to build a trusted team rather than attempting to manage everything alone.
Video Transcript
Six Things to Focus on in 2026
Welcome back to 2026.
I’m Robbie Turner, a former Commando officer. I completed 24 years of service in the Australian Army, including five operational deployments, and I’m now a business owner.
What am I focusing on in 2026?
I have six things I want to pass on to you right now.
Who’s coming with me?
1. Knowledge Dispels Fear
Some of the scariest things I did during my military career involved jumping out of the back of planes.
The Parachute Training School has a motto:
“Knowledge dispels fear.”
That principle applies to every aspect of your life, including property, business and personal growth.
Everything about becoming successful comes back to your mindset, what you know and how you view the intended outcome.
In my experience, people who struggle in the property market don’t always fail because they purchased the wrong property.
They often fail because their emotions distort their decision-making.
When someone says, “I’m scared,” or, “I’m uncertain,” what they may really be saying is:
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t have the education behind me. Someone help me.”
Conversely, when you are educated and confident, your willingness and ability to take action increases dramatically.
As an ADF member, you already understand delayed gratification.
You know there may be a mission or major event approaching. It can’t happen immediately, but you prepare, educate yourself and understand that you are playing the long game.
Once you have done that preparation, you can’t wait to begin.
Think long term, remove unnecessary emotion and maintain the drive to continue learning.
When you do that, things can begin changing very quickly.
2. Stay Operationally Fit
The second principle is to remain operationally fit.
By fit, I mean maintaining your energy levels throughout the day.
Being wealthy in life is not only about finances. It also involves your physical and mental capacity.
One lesson that has become very clear to me is that people rarely lose momentum because of strategy.
They lose momentum because they become tired and overwhelmed by fatigue.
Burnout destroys consistency.
Once you enter burnout, the quality of your decisions can diminish very quickly.
Structure reduces cognitive load and helps ensure your emotional reactions remain appropriate.
Protect your energy.
Structure your days.
Longevity will always outperform a short burst of unsustainable effort.
Operational fitness keeps you in the game long enough to win.
3. Master Your Cash Flow
The third principle is to master your cash flow.
You have probably heard the expression, “Cash is king.”
That applies in business, and owning a property portfolio is effectively running a business.
Cash is the oxygen that keeps that business alive.
Never forget that.
People who lose money through property don’t necessarily lose it at the moment they purchase.
The loss often occurs because poor cash flow means they cannot hold the property for long enough.
When you know your numbers and remain focused on them, emotion is removed from the decision.
You can ask a simple question:
“Does this work or not?”
Yes or no.
Someone who understands their business or property numbers does not need to operate under constant financial stress.
Positive cash flow is valuable, but cash buffers can save you.
Buffers buy time, clarity and control.
In many situations, a forced or pressured sale is ultimately caused by cash flow problems.
Know your numbers.
Maintain your buffers.
The survivability and longevity of your portfolio matter far more than chasing short-term growth.
4. Create Decision Filters
The fourth principle is to create decision filters.
When you have rules and a framework to follow, you are less likely to feel pressured or overwhelmed.
Think about your Defence workplace.
The ADF uses decision-making frameworks to reduce chaos and hesitation.
Many investors struggle because they make inconsistent decisions or become unable to make a decision at all.
The right filters remove guesswork and second-guessing.
Clear criteria allow you to assess an opportunity and make an informed decision more quickly.
Good decisions compound over time.
Bad decisions also have a habit of repeating themselves.
When you have a proven model or framework, allow it to do the heavy lifting.
Continue monitoring your circumstances closely, but don’t reinvent the process every time you face a decision.
5. Manage Risk
The fifth principle is risk management.
I made risk management one of Axon’s core pillars for a reason.
Every investment involves risk.
You need to identify the circumstances that could potentially bite you because you cannot prevent or reduce a risk you have never acknowledged.
Many investors do the opposite.
They put their heads in the sand, avoid discussing what could go wrong and expose themselves to unnecessary danger.
When you embrace risk management and have hindsight-style conversations before beginning the acquisition process, you give yourself a much stronger chance of success.
A good defence is just as important as a great offence.
You have probably heard of Murphy’s Law.
When you ignore risk management, Murphy’s Law will eventually come knocking.
You may suddenly find yourself under serious pressure.
I’m not trying to scare you.
I’m telling you to plan for uncertainty and build resilience.
Survival should always come first in property and business.
6. Build Your Network and Team
The sixth principle is to build your network and your team.
Let me tell you a quick story.
The final two properties I purchased while still serving were the two worst properties I ever purchased.
That came down to one thing.
I was arrogant and ignorant.
I didn’t believe I needed help, and I didn’t want to pay somebody to provide that assistance.
That was a major mistake.
Read almost any book about succeeding in business, property or life.
Within the first few chapters, you will probably find a section explaining the importance of building a team and developing a strong network.
That isn’t always easy.
There are plenty of stories about people believing somebody was on their team, only to discover otherwise.
You may have experienced that yourself.
Focus on building the relationship first.
When you and your team are genuinely aligned, successful outcomes are far more likely to follow.
Once you find your team and your tribe, and you work together consistently, great things can happen.
Please learn from my mistake.
Get help as soon as you can.
Find your tribe, connect with the right people and give yourself the strongest possible chance of success.
Closing Thoughts
You don’t need to be perfect in 2026.
I remain the most perfectly imperfect person I know.
Ask my team. They’ll tell you.
But you do need to be prepared because long-term success comes to those who stay in the game.