But my experience has also been that by imitating the successful behaviors of people I have actually met and know to be successful (versus sorting out what works/doesn't work, what's real/not real, which is the best of a multitude of opinions - and which are qualified opinions or unqualified opinions), I am also more successful and avoid some of the "muck".  

Lets just say that the very things in life that keep people poor is the normal behavior at the office. 

What the behavioral patterns are of the ones that are successful? 

Under no circumstances should you apologize , that's enabling behavior which facilitates their continued disfunction.I'm going to say Berkeley rivals SF and Portland in the professionally offended dept.

My guess is that you are not rewarding bad behavior, but in fact helping someone in a desperate situation.I just had to have a tenant leave one of my rentals.

@Chris Martin  Yes the system seems to be the only way legally to conduct any type of real estate transactions, as most states are cracking down, probably based on behavior and ethics of most wholesalers (generally speaking) and complaints from sellers and RE agents/brokers.I don't argue (not arguing really, just playing devil's advocate) whether or not the banks paid back their bailout.

This is opposed to signing a quick renewal because they can't move and causing disgruntled feelings that encourage poor behavior (delinquent rent, complaints, more maintenance reports, treating the property badly, and non-renewal in the future). 

You can always invest after paying off bed debts, as investment will be a long term goal and getting rich and staying rich is behavior and process.

It is pure behavior economics, they "trick" themselves into paying more each month which leads to faster payoff and lower amount paid.   

But I like your idea of an incentive to use the system- carrot rather than stick - because the late fee disincentive which she has already accrued doesn't seem to change over her behavior.