You buy properties playing defense going in and (what if) strategies.

Depending if it is compounding or simple interest determines the formula, but in either case time is a variable for both.

@William Davis what exactly is a compounding investment?

Run the numbers.  30-40 years of compound growth, tax free, with a free match for a portion of the contribution.  

This is made far worse by the fact that most physicians are largely unknowingly irresponsible consumers who drive a luxury vehicle, live in a 5,000 sq ft home, and carry a student loan and/or practice debt burden somewhere between $0.5-1 million compounding at 6%+ per year, AND while paying into one of the highest tax brackets.

The concept is called defensive investing. 

Because my current job has been very tentative (defense contracting in a large corporation on an niche system) my motivation has been to convert 401K funds to higher performing results that provide CASH FLOW to cover our monthly living expenses (mortgage, etc in California).

Lots of people moving there now due to job growth in defense and space.

I see two modes of "defense" in buying LTRs - cash flow and equity. 

Lastly, I hope I am not coming off defensive, which I probably I am, but I see some bad information on this thread and I as I mentioned earlier, I shoot it straight and one of our core values is to be transparent as possible.