"Discipline and habit" — Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec discusses achieving financial abundance through health

During an interview on The School of Greatness podcast with Lewis Howes on February 5, 2025, Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec was asked what prevents individuals who are physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy from achieving financial abundance.

Herjavec responded by drawing a connection between financial success and physical fitness, emphasizing that individuals often seek superficial solutions rather than focusing on discipline and habit. He explained:

“They look at the superficial easy ways to do it… I think anything hard is discipline and habit. So people that are super fit have discipline and habit.”

The Shark Tank investor highlighted that achieving financial success follows the same principles as maintaining physical health—through consistency and structured effort.

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How discipline and habit shape financial success, according to Robert Herjavec

The role of discipline in achieving financial abundance

Herjavec underscored that both financial success and physical fitness require discipline. He maintained that physical fitness demanded hard work and the rich cannot bypass it:

“People that have a lot of wealth think that they can get fit by taking a drug or surgery… they look for Band-Aid solutions.”

He explained that, just as sustainable physical health is built on long-term habits rather than quick fixes, financial stability comes from disciplined financial habits. He also referenced his experience participating in an Army Rangers training program, where he learned to follow orders and consistently push himself beyond perceived limits.

The key takeaway was that financial abundance, much like physical endurance, is developed through repeated effort rather than short-term solutions. The Shark Tank investor noted:

“People that are super fit have discipline and habit, but they don’t always know where to apply it.”

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Understanding purpose and its impact on financial success

Herjavec discussed how purpose plays a role in financial achievement, using military personnel as an example. He pointed out that individuals in the military possess high levels of discipline but may struggle in business due to a lack of personal purpose after leaving service. He explained:

“People join the military because they have a need to do something greater than themselves… you’re willing to lay your life down for a cause.”

He elaborated on why some military veterans face challenges when transitioning into business roles, stating,

“Then they leave the military, they get a job in sales, and their boss says, ‘If you don’t make your number, we’re not going to make it for the quarter,’ and they struggle with that.”

The Shark Tank investor emphasized that financial success is not just about following steps but about aligning actions with a meaningful objective:

“When you have that great a purpose and that leaves you, it’s very hard to replace it with a different purpose.”

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Applying these principles to financial growth

Herjavec suggested that physically disciplined individuals can transfer those habits to their financial lives by understanding where to direct their efforts:

“They have the discipline, but they don’t always know where to apply it.”

Additionally, he highlighted the importance of moving beyond external validation or superficial fixes. The Shark Tank investor remarked:

“People think they can achieve things by taking shortcuts, but anything worth achieving requires discipline and habit.”

Finally, he underscored that purpose should be a driving factor in financial decisions. He explained that when individuals lack a strong purpose, it becomes challenging to sustain motivation in business or finance. By identifying a meaningful reason to achieve financial success, individuals can maintain the same level of commitment they apply to other areas of life.

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