Sola Adesakin 
It’s tempting to believe that more money will solve all your financial problems. A raise, a business breakthrough, a lucky break, surely that will fix it all. But here’s the truth: you can’t out-earn poor money habits.
A bigger income with bad discipline only creates a bigger mess. The problem is never just about the amount of money coming in, it’s about the structure guiding how it’s used. More money won’t fix what discipline won’t face. If your habits leak, your wealth will leak too.
Let’s be honest — many people are working harder than ever but not getting wealthier. The problem isn’t effort; it’s direction. It’s like pouring water into a basket — until you mend the holes, no amount of pouring will fill it.
The Habits That Hold You Back
Poor money habits often hide behind good intentions. Spending before saving. Swiping before thinking. Borrowing to impress. Delaying financial planning until “things get better.” But things rarely get better by accident — they get better by intention.
Wealth doesn’t start with money; it starts with management. Earning is an event; managing is a lifestyle. You can earn millions and still be broke if you haven’t learnt how to control your impulses, plan your spending, and prioritise your future.
This is why some people stay stuck in the same financial loop for years — because they change jobs, change income, but never change habits. The pattern remains, just with bigger numbers attached.
Preparation Attracts Provision
This season, don’t just work or pray for more, prepare for more. Preparation is the proof that you’re ready for growth. Before the harvest comes, you build barns. Before promotion, you build capacity. Before increase, you build structure.
If you want to be entrusted with more — in money, business, or opportunities — you must show that you can handle what you already have. Many times, God and life withhold the “more” not as punishment, but as mercy. Because increase without structure becomes chaos.
Five Financial Habits That Build Wealth
If you’re serious about changing your financial story, these five habits are non-negotiable:
1.Track Your Spending – Money you don’t track will quietly disappear. Use a simple app, journal, or spreadsheet to know where every naira goes. You can’t manage what you don’t measure.
2. Pay Yourself First – Save before you spend. Treat savings and investments like a bill you must pay. Even 10% consistently saved will change your financial outlook in a year.
3.Invest Intentionally – Don’t just save, grow your money. Learn about mutual funds, treasury bills, stocks, and ETFs. Your money should be working even when you’re not.
4.Live Below Your Means – Comfort is not the same as luxury. Avoid the temptation to “upgrade” your lifestyle every time income increases. The goal is freedom, not fancy.
5. Keep Learning About Money – Financial literacy is a lifelong journey. Read, attend seminars, listen to podcasts, and ask questions. Ignorance is more expensive than education.
The Discipline That Sustains Growth
Discipline is what transforms income into wealth. It’s saying “no” to instant gratification so you can say “yes” to long-term peace. Discipline is also about paying attention — knowing where your money goes, tracking your progress, and being accountable for your decisions.
True wealth is built by those who are faithful with the little — those who plan, track, and stay consistent even when it feels slow. Your habits are the real indicators of your financial future, not your hustle or your paycheck.
So as you go through this season, ask yourself: am I preparing for more, or just wishing for more?
Growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by alignment — between your prayers, your plans, and your practices.
The goal isn’t just to make more money; it’s to build the discipline to manage, multiply, and sustain it. That’s where real financial freedom begins.
Sola Adesakin is a highly respected wealth coach and chartered accountant with over two decades of transformative impact in the finance industry. As the visionary founder of Smart Stewards Financial Advisory Limited and Smart Stewards Advisory LLC, she has revolutionised the financial wellbeing of countless individuals and businesses across 40 countries. Her methodical approach to ‘make-manage-multiply’ money principles has elevated many from financial stress to prosperity, and mediocrity to exceptional achievement.