When you go to a concert, you’re not just paying for a ticket to see Dave Matthews Band play. You’re fronting the capital he needs to produce a Live album, which he will then in turn sell back to you. Genius!

This is quite how Tony Robbins operates. When he gives a seminar, he doesn’t just do it out of the goodness of his heart (or the fact that you paid $2,000 for it). He does it because it has a tail effect long after the seminar (or the concert) is over.

Here’s what is key: the ability to flip the material in the seminar or the concert into another product to sell.

Tony and Dave don’t need to be there to teach or to perform. The product will continue to sell itself, and whether it’s on download or CD, the same material is delivered as it was in person.

What can we learn?

The word “strategize” comes to mind. I’m not saying be ruthless and only do things that let you profit. But pick your projects like you pick your battles – fight the big ones and let the little ones die.