The 5 Habits That Took Me From Broke to Building Wealth Online

Discover 5 powerful habits that helped me go from broke and overwhelmed to financially focused and building wealth online in 2025. In this post, I will delve into the intricacies of each habit, providing insights and real-life examples to illustrate their importance in financial growth and wealth stability.

🧠 Intro: Broke Isn’t a Budget — It’s a Mindset

Understanding that financial success is not just about accumulating wealth, but also about fostering the right mindset is crucial. This post will help you realize how simple habits can transform your financial future.

By understanding wealth building as a journey, I learned to appreciate the small victories along the way.

Wealth isn’t just about money; it’s a mindset that can be cultivated through intentional habits.

Building wealth requires patience and a commitment to sustained growth over time.

Understanding the fundamentals of wealth creation can set you on the right path.

Many people overlook the importance of a wealth-focused mindset in achieving their financial goals.

These shifts not only helped me financially but also reinforced the idea that wealth is built over time.

Not too long ago, I had more month than money. I struggled with living paycheck to paycheck, constantly feeling overwhelmed by my financial situation. I wasn’t lazy; I simply lacked direction. Chasing quick wins led me to jump between side hustles without ever committing to one, and I often avoided looking at my bank account out of fear of what I might find.

What changed everything for me were these 5 habits. They weren’t flashy, but they were consistent and formed the backbone of my financial mindset, enabling me to grow a sustainable income online. Consistency, determination, and a willingness to adapt became my guiding principles.

Tracking my spending was crucial for understanding where my wealth could grow.

Every dollar I tracked contributed to the bigger picture of my wealth building.

Redirecting small expenses towards wealth accumulation made a significant difference.

Building Wealth through Consistent Habits

Throughout this journey, I discovered invaluable tools like Notion, AI-powered freelancing, and automated side hustle systems, which played significant roles in my success. This post will give you a comprehensive view of how you can apply these strategies in your own life.

These are the exact shifts that helped me go from broke to building momentum with tools like Notion, AI-powered freelancing, and automated side hustle systems.

Let’s dive in 👇

🔁 1. Track Every Dollar (Yes, Every Dollar)

Tracking every dollar was a game changer for me. I used to avoid my bank app like it was bad news, fearing what I might see. Now, I track every single dollar — not to restrict myself, but to stay conscious of my spending habits. By doing this, I began to understand my financial behaviors and identify areas where I could improve.

I used to avoid my bank app like it was bad news. Now I track every single dollar — not to restrict myself, but to stay conscious.

For example, when I started tracking my expenses meticulously, I noticed that frequent coffee runs were draining my budget. By switching to brewing coffee at home, I saved significant amounts that I redirected towards my savings. This habit truly influenced my financial health and taught me the value of small changes leading to big results.

Tools that helped:

• Notion Budget Templates
• YNAB
• Google Sheets

This habit alone helped me save over $1,000 in 30 days. Tracking my spending was not just a task; it became a crucial part of my financial strategy.

Tools that helped:

To further streamline this process, I’ve automated parts of it using Notion and Zapier, which I detail in this tools post. Automation allows me to focus more on analysis rather than getting bogged down in the details.

Each weekly review of my finances was a step towards greater wealth awareness.

This helps me stay proactive about wealth management.

• Notion Budget Templates
• YNAB
• Google Sheets

This habit alone helped me save over $1,000 in 30 days.

🧹 2. Do a Weekly “Money Reset”

Every Sunday, I spend 15 minutes reviewing my financial state. It’s a brief yet powerful ritual where I evaluate:

• What I earned
• What I spent
• What I need to prep for

This weekly review has become essential for maintaining my financial health. It’s like a mental refresh that helps me stay on track and aligned with my goals.

Every Sunday, I spend 15 minutes reviewing:

• What I earned
• What I spent
• What I need to prep for

It’s like a mental refresh. I even automate part of it using Notion and Zapier, covered in this tools post.

📚 3. Replace Scrolling with Learning (30 Min Rule)

Every time I felt the urge to mindlessly scroll through social media, I made a conscious choice to replace that time with valuable learning. Instead of wasting minutes, I committed to spending 30 minutes each day engaging in:

Learning about wealth strategies filled my time with productive activities.

As I replaced scrolling with learning, I found not only my knowledge growing but also my confidence in tackling complex projects. This shift helped me create a side hustle that I once thought was unattainable.

• Watching a YouTube video about money or business
• Reading a personal finance blog
• Practicing ChatGPT prompts or honing my Canva designs

This simple habit built real skills, which I now utilize daily in my side hustles. For instance, learning about effective content creation strategies directly enhanced my digital marketing efforts.

Every time I felt the urge to scroll social media, I replaced it with:

This commitment to learning was essential for building my wealth.

• Watching a YouTube video about money or business
• Reading a personal finance blog
• Practicing ChatGPT prompts or Canva designs

Each skill acquired was a stepping stone towards greater wealth potential.

It built real skills — the kind I now use in my side hustles daily.

🛠️ 4. Build Before You Need It

For example, the budgeting template I created has been downloaded by numerous users and has generated consistent revenue. With each sale, I gain not just financial benefits but also valuable feedback that helps me improve my offerings.

Most individuals wait until they’re in dire financial straits to start hustling. I took a different approach by building small digital assets early on — such as:

Every morning, I ask myself: “What’s one thing I can do today that builds long-term income?” This reflection keeps me aligned with my goals and prevents me from getting sidetracked by minor distractions. It helps me prioritize tasks that have lasting impacts on my financial future.

• A budgeting template on Gumroad
• My faceless YouTube channel plan
• A Notion-based product tracker

These systems have now begun to generate passive income while I sleep. Building assets ahead of time not only provides financial security but also offers peace of mind.

Building wealth often begins with the simple act of creating resources.

Most people wait until they’re broke to start hustling. I started building small digital assets early — like:

• A budgeting template on Gumroad
• My faceless YouTube channel plan
• A Notion-based product tracker

These systems now bring in passive income while I sleep.

🧠 5. Prioritize Clarity Over Hustle

In the world of online business, it’s tempting to do more — to chase every opportunity that comes your way. However, I noticed significant results when I started focusing on clarity over chaos. Instead of being reactive, I became proactive in my approach.

It’s tempting to do more — but I saw real results when I started focusing on clarity over chaos.

These digital assets contributed to my wealth without requiring constant effort.

Every morning, I asked:

“What’s one thing I can do today that builds long-term income?”

This clarity led me to launch my first freelancing offer with confidence — and I was able to stick with it, which ultimately transformed my income level.

📣 Final Thoughts: You Can’t Hack Habits — But You Can Build Them

You don’t need to be perfect to succeed. What you truly need is to be intentional. Start with one of these habits and make it a part of your routine. Over time, as you become comfortable with one, layer on another. In just 90 days, your financial confidence and income could feel completely different. The power of consistent habits is transformative.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be intentional.

Ultimately, prioritizing wealth over chaos led to a more fulfilling journey.

Start with one of these habits. Make it yours. Then layer on another. In 90 days, your financial confidence (and income) will feel completely different.

With clarity, I could see the path to building wealth more clearly.