For those who feel broke going into 2026
You need more than a vision board to live your rich life.
Last year, I made over $50,000 from content creation($50k from filming videos still blows my mind).
I went on brand trips. I landed sponsorships. I launched my own budgeting app.
And I still feel like I left a lot on the table.
Here’s what happened:
Q1 was incredible. I was posting every day. Consistent. Locked in. The growth was there, the deals were coming in, everything was clicking.
Then the money started hitting. And I took my foot off the gas.
I got complacent.
I started going out more.
Took trips.
Summer came around and I was outside instead of creating. By the time I looked up, the momentum was gone.
I keep thinking: if Q1 was that good, where would I be right now if I kept that energy all year?
This is why I titled this “For Those Who Feel Broke Going Into 2026.”
I don’t just mean financially. You could be broken mentally, physically, spiritually.
You could be:
Behind on your health.
Behind on your goals.
Behind on where you thought you’d be at this age.
Lowkey, we all have some piece of us that feels broken (i mean that’s why we make resolutions in the first place lol).
We’re not satisfied.
We want to fix something.
For me, it’s this:
“why don’t I have 100K followers on at least one platform?”
I know that’s a vanity metric. I know followers don’t mean everything. But I’m being honest with you I still don’t feel credible without it.
I look at my numbers and I ask myself if I’m such a good content creator with so much insight, why don’t I have 100K followers on at least one platform?
I need that external validation for myself. And maybe once I hit it, I’ll move the goalposts again.
But right now, that number haunts me.
I watched friends stay consistent on YouTube while I fell off. They saw growth. I didn’t. Not because I couldn’tbecause I didn’t show up.
So this year, I’m approaching goal-setting differently.
My biggest issue with goals comes down to two things:
I start January motivated. By March, I give up.
I have one vision in January, then a different vision by April. My strategy keeps changing. I never let anything breathe long enough to actually work.
Vision boards haven’t fixed this.
Checklists haven’t fixed this.
I’m an analytical person pictures on a board only do so much for me. So I went looking for a different method.
I came across this post on X about how Shohei Ohtani became so successful. In high school, he used something called the Harada Method. He filled in his goals then and used the same framework all the way to the pros.
Here’s how it works:
You pick one clear goal. Around that goal, you map out 8 pillars → areas of your life that support that goal. Then for each pillar, you break out the daily habits and actions you need to take.
FYI - check out this article from Sahil Bloom on the Harada Method.
My core goal: financial independence by the end of 2026.
My 8 pillars:
Financial foundation
Physical health
Preparation for my new apartment
Personal development
Spirituality
Mental well-being
Strong content and brand system
Business revenue
(here is the free worksheet)
I wrote them all out. Then I looked at the list and asked myself one question:
“Can I actually focus on all 8 of these in one year?”
Hell no!
I have a full-time job. I have family. I have friends. I have a life. There’s no way I can give real attention to all 8 pillars.
So I asked a different question: “If I could only pick two, which two would unlock the others?”
The answer: Business revenue and Content/Brand.
Here’s my logic.
Physical health requires time. Personal development requires time. Spirituality requires time. Mental wellness requires time. Moving out requires money.
Every pillar I want to focus on needs either time or money. Usually both.
Right now, I have neither (I am deadass broke).
But if I focus on building my business and growing my personal brand, I can get more money. More money means I can eventually leave my job.
Leaving my job means I get my time back.
Money is the common denominator. Money buys back my time.
And here’s something people don’t talk about: the day job isn’t just 9-5. It’s the mental weight that follows you home. It’s lying in bed thinking about a problem at work instead of thinking about your next video or your next business idea. It’s the ideas you don’t have space for because your brain is full.
That’s the hidden tax. That’s what I’m trying to escape.
So this year, I’m betting on two pillars. Not because I don’t care about the other six. But because those two unlock everything else.
I know what some of you are thinking: “But what about balance?”
I’m going to be real with you. Balance shouldn’t exist. Not if you want to see real results.
There are people out there doing content full-time. They have all day to create. I’m competing against them while working a 9-5. I’m also competing against people using AI to pump out content like it’s nothing.
I don’t have the luxury of balance.
Something has to give. For me this year, it’s the gym. It’s the deep spiritual work. It’s some of the things I wish I could prioritize.
Does that come with guilt? Yeah. It does.
But fuck it.
If I try to do everything, I’ll be mediocre at all of it. I’d rather go all in on two things and actually move the needle.
Then next year, once the money and systems are in place, I can shift my focus.
Maybe 2027 is the year I lock in on health and spirituality.
But 2026? This is the year I bet on revenue and brand.
If you try this method, here’s my advice:
Write out all 8 pillars. Even the ones you won’t focus on this year. It helps you see the full picture of the life you’re building toward.
But then be honest with yourself. Pick one or two. The ones that unlock the rest.
And whatever you choose → stick with it. The whole year. Not just Q1.
then don’t switch seats Because no matter which method you use, it comes down to consistency. Setting up systems. Having the discipline to execute even when you’re tired, lazy, or distracted.
The tricky part isn’t choosing the pillars. It’s showing up on the days you don’t feel like it. The weeks you’re sick. The moments your attention span is shot.
That’s a mental game. And I’m still figuring it out myself.
I hope this helps. I hope whatever pillars you write down help fix that broken piece of you.
But more than anything, I hope you take action.
Remember →
You’re not going to die at the end of this year.
You have more time.
Use it.
And remember → I’m broke with you. You’re not alone.
Luv,
Luv