Imagine having an extra $1,000 landing in your account every week — no more clocking in, no more side hustles, just pure passive income flowing from your ASX investments.

It is an exciting prospect, and while it is not something that happens overnight, it is absolutely achievable with the right plan, the right ASX shares, and a long-term mindset.

Let's break down how you could generate $52,000 a year in passive income from ASX shares — and what it takes to get there.

Build up your portfolio

To earn $52,000 a year in passive income, you'll first need to grow your portfolio to around $1 million.

Getting to that magic number starts with consistent investing and the power of compounding.

If you start with $20,000 today, invest $1,000 every month, and target a 10% average annual return (not guaranteed, but in line with long-term market averages), it would take you just over 21 years to hit the $1 million mark.

This could mean sticking with a mix of:

• Blue-chip ASX stocks like Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) or Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)
• Growth shares such as Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) or ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)
• Exchange traded funds (ETFs) like the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) or the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

Your focus in this phase isn't on income — it's on growth. Reinvest every dividend, add to your portfolio every month, and let the market do its thing.

Shift your focus to passive income

Once you've built that $1 million base, the strategy shifts. Now it is time to pivot from growth to income generation, targeting an average dividend yield of around 5.2%.

While we can't know exactly which ASX shares will offer the best dividend yields in 20+ years, if you were building an income portfolio today, it might include the big four banks like Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB).

In addition, shares such as Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), APA Group Ltd (ASX: APA), Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1), and Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) might be good additions to a passive income portfolio.

Alternatively, investors could buy the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY) to grab around 50 high-yield ASX shares in one go.

With a 5.2% yield, a $1 million portfolio would generate $52,000 a year in passive income. That's the equivalent of $1,000 a week.

Though, it is worth noting that ASX companies don't pay dividends weekly. Most pay half-yearly or quarterly at best. So, you will need to manage your cash flow — either by spreading your holdings across different payout schedules or by distributing your dividends out of your trading account on a weekly basis once they start flowing through.

Foolish takeawy

Building a $1,000-a-week passive income stream from ASX shares isn't just a dream — it's a plan you can start today.

By focusing first on growth, then shifting to income, and staying disciplined along the way, you can turn small, regular investments into financial freedom.