You’ve got the drive, the ideas, maybe even a snappy website and a handful of loyal customers. But your business bank account still looks like it’s on life support. And you’re tired. Tired of reading safe advice about “niching down” and “staying consistent” when what you really need is a clear look at the habits bleeding your business dry while you’re busy trying to “manifest abundance.”
These habits are sneakier than you think. They slip into your day under the disguise of “staying productive” or “doing it right.” They love your to-do list and your color-coded Trello board. But they’re keeping you broke, restless, and stuck in the cycle of scraping by.
It’s time to call them out.
Death By Tiny Decisions
You’re spending half your mental energy on things that don’t move the needle. You’ll lose half a day tweaking the font on your invoice template, fiddling with your brand colors, or deciding which Canva design to post when you don’t even have a content plan that actually connects to revenue.
Every tiny decision feels harmless, but it’s a time and energy tax that compounds. You’re busy, but you’re not building. You’re moving, but you’re not getting anywhere. Meanwhile, the decisions that matter—raising your prices, pitching clients, improving your sales process—get pushed down the list because you’re “too busy.”
It’s not about ignoring details. It’s about knowing which details actually pay you back. Until you learn to let 80% of those small choices go, you’ll stay stuck tinkering with your website while your competitors are out there closing deals.
Refusing To Be Seen
You want clients, but you’re hiding behind your laptop hoping someone will just find you. You’ll spend months building a course, perfecting your systems, or taking one more certification before you even start talking about what you do out loud.
You’re afraid of looking stupid, getting rejected, or posting the wrong thing. So you “prepare.” And you “research.” And you “plan.” But you don’t sell. You don’t talk about your offers. You don’t put yourself in front of people who actually have the money to pay you.
It’s safer that way, sure. But it’s also why you’re not making money.
If you’re serious about not being broke, you have to get comfortable with being visible. Let people see you. Let them hear what you’re offering. Let them think what they’re going to think while you keep showing up anyway.
Chasing Everything, Mastering Nothing
There’s a difference between pivoting and flailing. You think you’re staying “agile” because you’re trying to post on every platform, launch a course, start a podcast, write a newsletter, and keep your service business alive, all while brainstorming your next big product.
What you’re really doing is diluting your focus so nothing can actually take off.
The businesses that make money know how to pick one core offer, one clear audience, and one main platform—and ride it until it’s profitable. You can add complexity later. But right now, if you’re still broke, you don’t need to keep chasing shiny strategies that scatter your time and energy.
Focus is uncomfortable because it forces you to commit. It forces you to stick with something long enough to see results, even if those results take longer than a week. But that discomfort is the price of moving from “barely making it” to building real revenue.
Half-Hearted Marketing
You post on Instagram when you remember. You send an email to your list once a month, if that. You rely on word-of-mouth referrals because selling feels “icky,” so you’re just hoping your next client will appear.
Meanwhile, businesses making money are marketing daily. They’re not just talking about their dog or their coffee order (though sure, throw in your personality). They’re selling. They’re educating. They’re inviting people to buy. And they’re doing it often.
You don’t need to post 20 times a day, but you need a plan you actually execute. You need consistency, and you need to sell, not just exist online.
In the middle of this, if you’re serious about cleaning up your money leaks, look into social media marketing tips that align with your business and actually drive action, not just likes. Stop romanticizing the idea that if your brand vibe is good enough, people will just show up. Marketing moves your offers in front of the people who need them, and if you’re half-committed, your bank account will stay half-full.
Ignoring Maintenance Mode
You’re so focused on building your business that you ignore the basic maintenance that keeps you functional. Your systems are duct-taped together. Your workflows are scattered across emails, sticky notes, and the Notes app on your phone. You’re avoiding looking at your numbers because you’re afraid of what they’ll say. You’re burning out but pretending you’re not.
All of this is costing you money, energy, and time you could spend on revenue-generating work.
The same way your home needs regular cleaning and your car needs oil changes, your business needs regular maintenance to keep it efficient and profitable. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Take a day each month to review your income, trim unnecessary expenses, and clean up your client processes. You’re not too busy to do this—you’re too broke to ignore it.
And speaking of maintenance, don’t underestimate what a properly functioning environment can do for your productivity and mental clarity. I’m talking about your literal environment too. It’s shocking how much easier it is to focus when your workspace is clean, your coffee is hot, and your AC is actually working when you need it. If you’re still fighting with a unit that cuts off every 20 minutes, investing in air conditioning repair is one of the smartest moves you’ll make for your business. Comfort and focus pay off in your ability to perform, close deals, and work without distractions you’ve been tolerating.
Time To Stop Leaking Money
There’s no grand motivational speech here. Just the truth: You’re probably not broke because you don’t have what it takes. You’re broke because you’re leaking money and time through habits you’re pretending are “just part of the process.”
Stop dragging yourself through 16-hour days for scraps of progress. Cut the habits draining your focus, get visible, market like you actually want sales, and handle the maintenance that keeps your business running. That’s how you start making real money instead of just playing entrepreneur.
Now, close your laptop, take a breath, and start changing the habits that have been keeping you broke.
