In recent years, many people have turned to the routines of millionaires and billionaires for inspiration. It has been a trend for a while to follow your favorite millionaire’s or billionaire’s routine. This is an attempt to change your life for good by replicating your favorite millionaire’s or billionaire’s routine and leading you to a successful life, irrespective of the industry or niche. Although following a well-established person’s routine may be beneficial for you, I do not agree with it. I also think it is used by millionaires and billionaires to sell their courses, books, etc., which is making them richer but not benefiting their audience, at least not the majority. My naive curiosity has found the other side of this whole phenomenon.

The Importance of Context

Millionaires and billionaires started their journeys from various points. Some had advantages like wealth or connections. Others had unique opportunities. Comparing yourself to them can be misleading. Let’s start right there. Being a millionaire or billionaire requires luck, hard work, dedication, and persistence. Before you argue about the luck aspect of being successful, imagine being born as a goat herder in Yemen or Ethiopia and dreaming of being a billionaire and driving a lambo. Yeah, right, it sounds almost impossible. So luck plays a major factor. Back to the point. Millionaire and billionaire routines are tailored to their current lifestyles. They focus on maintaining their wealth and health. When you are broke, your priorities are different. You need to focus on basic needs like paying bills and saving money. A routine designed for a millionaire or billionaire won’t address these priorities.

One more point that I want to make, and this is my naive curiosity, is I want to ask you a question. Take 10 minutes of your day and think thoroughly, just be naive and curious. Alright? Okay. Why don’t millionaires and billionaires talk about their previous routines that helped them become rich and prosper? Well, let’s find out, shall we? Let’s look at the top three billionaires’ routines before they became rich.

Elon Musk

Early Career

Zip2 Corporation

• Work Hours: Musk often worked 100 hours a week, including sleeping on the office floor.

• Tasks: He did everything from coding to business meetings.

• Dedication: Musk’s intense work ethic helped turn Zip2 into a success, eventually selling it for nearly $300 million.

X.com and PayPal

• Work Hours: Similar dedication, often working long hours every day.

• Tasks: Focused on developing online payment systems and dealing with business challenges.

• Outcome: PayPal’s success led to its sale to eBay for $1.5 billion in stock.

Jeff Bezos

Amazon Start-Up

• Work Hours: Bezos worked 12-hour days, seven days a week, during the early years of Amazon.

• Tasks: He handled everything from packaging books to customer service.

• Dedication: Bezos was relentless, focusing on customer satisfaction and innovation.

Building Amazon

• Work Hours: Continued long hours, often late into the night.

• Tasks: Managed every aspect of the business, from logistics to technology.

• Outcome: Bezos’ hard work paid off, making Amazon one of the most valuable companies in the world.

Bill Gates

Microsoft Start-Up

• Work Hours: Gates often worked 16-hour days, seven days a week.

• Tasks: Coding, business strategy, and partnership development.

• Dedication: Gates was known for his intense focus and commitment to his vision.

Building Microsoft

• Work Hours: Continued long hours well into the company’s growth phase.

• Tasks: Overseeing product development, sales, and company direction.

• Outcome: Gates’ dedication helped Microsoft become a global tech leader.

Look at their routines: it’s just pure hard work and dedication. Now, we all know how the human brain functions. It avoids hard work at any cost, which is a survival instinct since the dawn of civilization, and we haven’t outgrown it, although we do not live in that hunting era anymore.

When a millionaire or billionaire tries to sell a book, course, or training about their intense 12-hour, 16-hour, 7-days-a-week work routine, it’s unlikely that people will be eager to buy it. Do you think people would purchase a course focused solely on relentless hard work and unwavering focus for 12-16 hours a day, seven days a week? Most likely not. In fact, they wouldn’t even bother to read it if it were offered for free. The human brain naturally seeks the path of least resistance. So, when these wealthy individuals offer routines that include activities like meditation or other easier tasks, instead of grueling hours of work, the audience is naturally more inclined towards it. For the millionaire or billionaire, this makes it much easier to monetize.

Instead of mimicking billionaire routines, set realistic goals. Start small and build habits that suit your current situation. Millionaires and billionaires have unlimited resources. They can afford personal trainers, gourmet meals, and top-notch healthcare. These luxuries contribute to their routines.

What Should a Broke Person Do?

Focus on Personal Development and Skill Development

• Invest in yourself by learning new skills. Try learning skills that are not outdated and are growing, as it will help you earn money faster. This can increase your earning potential and open up new opportunities.

• Put in more hours to master your craft, and surely enough you’ll be able to achieve monetary success at least.

Health and Wellbeing

• Avoid eating junk food regularly. Instead, eat healthy and work out regularly as per your desired physique. Not everyone wants to look like a Mr. Olympia bodybuilder.

• Basic bodyweight exercises like push-ups and pull-ups are best for beginners. Eventually, you can move to an advanced level. But just start. In that way, you can build a positive environment around you, which will eventually enhance your mental health and resilience, further adding value to your life.

To wrap it up, do not fall prey to anyone’s unnecessary advice or mantra. So be naive and be curious. Ask questions. Find answers. Stick to the basics: sleep 8 hours, wake up early, work out, eat healthy, gain knowledge from reading books and other sources of information, work hard on your skills and personal development. Over time, it will add up, and sooner or later you can monetize those skills and earn a lot of money. You may ask, if it sounds so easy, why can’t everyone do it then? Well, to do the same old boring thing for years requires focus, and not everyone has it. That is the difference-maker.