From Pauper to Prince: 5 Lessons I Learned From Being Broke

On a sunny spring day, as I rode the bus to my university cashier's office, I overheard a loud, boisterous teen mom gloating on her flip phone about getting her financial aid check and how she would blow it all on material things.

Meanwhile, I was brainstorming excuses to tell the cashier about why I was late on my tuition — for the second semester in a row.

I was going to school full-time, had no car, ate sporadically, juggled two part-time jobs, and still struggled to pay rent.

I didn't qualify for financial aid like she did. I wasn't just sad… I was devastated.

I turned up the volume on my headphones, put my head down, and cried at the injustice of it all.

Looking back now, I realize I had nothing to fear.

Yes, I had to leave and move back home for a while. But my life turned out fine.

I eventually graduated, moved out, met someone, married, and started a family.

Most importantly, I learned something essential: poverty isn't about money. 

It's a mindset. I wasn't poor. I was cashless.

And here's what being broke taught me:

Lesson 1: Money Doesn't Change You. It Reveals You

• Your real priorities, fears, and strengths emerge when you're broke.
• Broke forces authenticity: what you value, who you trust, what you're willing to sacrifice.
• Money is just an amplifier. If you were humble before, you'd be humble and rich. If you were greedy, you'd be bigger, flashier, and selfish.

"A true king is crowned first in adversity, not in abundance."

Lesson 2: Nobody Cares. Work Harder and Smarter

• Hard work is necessary, but blind hustle without strategy keeps you broke.
• Smart moves — learning valuable skills, building assets, protecting your energy — make the real difference.
• Broke taught me that people won't save you. They expect you to figure it out — and you must.

"When the treasury is empty, wisdom becomes your greatest coin."

Lesson 3: Pride is Heavy. Drop It

• Being too proud to ask for help, take small jobs, or learn something new will keep you stuck.
• True kings know how to humble themselves to level up.
• You need people. Don't use them — but learn how to cultivate genuine, beneficial relationships that help you grow.

"Scarcity reveals what luxury only hides."

Lesson 4: Broke is Temporary, Poor is a Mindset

• Being broke is a situation.
• Staying poor is believing you belong there.
• Survival comes first. Then strategy. Then success.
• Never let a temporary storm make you think you were born to live in the rain.

"Before a crown rests on your head, it must first rest on your heart."

Lesson 5: Frugality is Freedom

• I learned how to cook full meals without spending much.
• I realized most of the things I thought I "needed" were just distractions from my real priorities.
• Setting clear priorities and practicing frugality helped me know that the less you need, the freer you are.

"In the desert of broke days, the seeds of greatness are planted."

Being broke tested me, but it also built me.

Today, I know that true wealth starts inside: in mindset, discipline, and gratitude.

Gold without growth is just glitter. Growth without gold? That's the real treasure.

Every king builds his kingdom first in the mind, then in the world.

Until next time,

Stay Regal, Royal, and may your reign last a thousand years. 👑

Omar Sanda

Notes

• Personal Growth: Many lessons are emotional before they are financial. Healing your mindset comes before healing your wallet.
• Poverty vs. Cashlessness: I don't romanticize poverty — I distinguish temporary financial hardship from generational poverty.
• Royal Metaphor: Throughout I Am King, I use the symbolism of a "king" to inspire self-respect and mastery, not arrogance.

Bibliography

• Robbins, T. (2014). Money: Master the Game. Simon & Schuster.
• Kiyosaki, R. (1997). Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Warner Books.
• Vaynerchuk, G. (2018). Crushing It! HarperBusiness.
• Holiday, R. (2016). The Daily Stoic. Portfolio.
• Tyson, M. (1990). Famous Quote: "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."

Further Reading

• Housel, M. (2020). The Psychology of Money.
• Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits.
• Holiday, R. (2016). The Daily Stoic.
• Lowry, E. (2017). Broke Millennial.