I met the entrepreneur—let’s call him Ben—inside a breezy café in Canggu. Surfboards leaned against the wall, scooters buzzed outside, and the scent of fresh kopi luwak drifted through the air. Ben wore a plain black tee, board shorts, and a faded cap. Nothing about him screamed “seven‑figure net worth.” Yet this relaxed thirty‑something has built (and sold) two e‑commerce brands and now mentors Indonesian founders while running a boutique investment fund from his villa.
Over a long iced latte, I asked what moved the needle most in his journey from broke backpacker to self‑made millionaire. He shrugged, flashed an easy grin, and said, “Only four things really matter. Nail those, and the rest falls into place.”
Below are those four habits, shared in his words, plus a few of my own reflections. I’ve kept Ben’s identity private at his request—he prefers life in the lineup to life in the spotlight.
1. He writes his goals like invoices, not wishes
“Most people journal feelings. I journal invoices,” Ben laughed. “If I want to earn $100 K from a product launch, I write a pretend invoice to myself and date it three months out. That turns a dream into a payable.”
Every Sunday evening, Ben spends an hour drafting ultra‑specific “invoices” to the future. They include numbers, dates, and quick bullet points showing exactly how he’ll “pay” them: marketing campaigns, partner outreach, product tweaks. Then he pins them above his desk. Each morning, he reads the invoices aloud before work.
Why it works
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Clarity trumps motivation. A 2022 Dominican University study found that written, specific goals are 42 % more likely to be achieved than vague intentions.
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Numbers force accountability. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
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Daily review keeps the brain’s reticular activating system scanning for relevant solutions—like a mental radar locked onto opportunities.
How you can try it
Write one “invoice” to yourself this week. Include an exact amount or metric, a due date, and three concrete actions that must happen first. Stick it where you’ll see it before breakfast.
2. He ruthlessly batches deep work before noon
“From 6 a.m. until lunch my phone lives in a drawer,” Ben said, sliding an invisible device across the table. “No WhatsApp, no Slack pings, no doom‑scrolling. Mornings are for building things that move the revenue needle. Everything else can wait.”
Ben’s schedule is almost boring:
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06:00 – 06:30 Cold plunge, stretch, coffee
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06:30 – 10:30 Deep‑work block (product, strategy, writing)
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10:30 – 11:30 Surf or gym
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11:30 – 12:30 Brunch + quick inbox sweep
Meetings, mentor calls, and admin happen only after 1 p.m. “If I’ve crushed four solid hours of flow by lunchtime, the day’s already a win,” he said.
Why it works
Neuroscience shows our prefrontal cortex is freshest after sleep. Tapping that window for creative or analytical tasks multiplies output. By parking distractions until later, Ben protects his cognitive peak.
How you can try it
Pick your own “no‑ping zone.” Even two uninterrupted hours can double the quality of your work. Use airplane mode, browser blockers, or—Ben’s favorite—physically hide your phone.
3. He treats networking as daily compound interest
“I send two ‘value bombs’ a day,” Ben explained. “An article a friend will love, a quick Loom video breaking down someone’s landing page, a warm intro—tiny deposits. After a year you’ve added 700 credits to your relationship bank.”
Ben’s rule: the gift must be 100 % helpful and ask for nothing in return. Over time those credits came back as advisory gigs, angel rounds, or life‑changing partnerships. He cites one example: a three‑line Slack intro he fired off while waiting for a coconut. Six months later, that intro became a $400 K distribution deal for his supplement brand.
Why it works
Humans have a deep‑wired reciprocity instinct. Author Adam Grant calls people like Ben “givers.” Research shows givers often rise to the top of professional networks because others champion them in return.
How you can try it
Before you open social media each morning, ask: Who could benefit from something I already know? Then deliver it—fast, free, no strings. Set a calendar reminder if you need the nudge.
4. He guards his personal energy like venture capital
“Your energy is the seed round that funds every idea,” Ben said, eyes suddenly serious. “Spend it on drama and you starve your dream.”
Despite Bali’s party vibe, Ben rarely drinks. He’s in bed by 9:30 p.m., meditates ten minutes at dawn, and logs 8 K steps on beach walks. Once a quarter he books a three‑day “monk mode” retreat in Ubud—no Wi‑Fi, just books, journaling, and silent hikes.
The surprising part? He claims this habit made him more money than any marketing hack. “When I’m rested and centered, I spot asymmetric bets other people miss,” he said. One such insight led him to pivot his first brand from generic yoga mats to premium, eco‑friendly cork mats—doubling average order value and paving the way for acquisition.
Why it works
Chronic fatigue shrinks the brain’s ability to switch between big‑picture thinking and detail focus. By defending sleep, movement, and mental space, Ben keeps both zoom lenses sharp.
How you can try it
Audit your energy leaks this week—endless news feeds, late‑night Netflix, junk‑food lunches. Slash one leak, then add one energy deposit: a 20‑minute nap, a sunset walk, or a quiet meditation.
Putting it all together
Ben’s success formula isn’t flashy. No secret crypto pumps, no 25‑step funnels, no hallucinations about “manifesting millions.” Just four simple habits practiced with monk‑like consistency:
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Write goals as invoices—specific, dated, and visible.
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Protect a daily deep‑work block—no pings, pure output.
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Give value relentlessly—tiny daily relationship deposits.
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Guard your energy—sleep, move, unplug, repeat.
Individually, each habit seems obvious. Collectively, they create a flywheel: clear goals shape focused work; focused work produces results worth sharing; generous sharing grows social capital; abundant energy fuels the whole loop. Round and round it spins, compounding like a high‑yield index fund—only instead of dollars, the currency is time, trust, and attention.
As we wrapped up, Ben checked the surf forecast on a beat‑up phone and grinned. “People think getting rich means grinding forever,” he said. “But really it’s mastering a few boring practices so you can enjoy the rest of life. The waves are calling—time to cash in another dividend.”
I watched him hop on a scooter, surfboard under one arm, helmet dangling from the other. In that moment, the idea of “rich” felt less about bank balances and more about the freedom to chase a midday swell. And that, perhaps, is Ben’s unspoken fifth habit: remembering why the money matters in the first place.
