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The stars of ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ share their tips for protecting their energy, which leads to optimal performance.
Over the past several months, I’ve sat down with billionaire founders and successful entrepreneurs to talk about success and performing at a high level. I expected our conversations to revolve around discipline, leadership, investing, and building great companies. Instead, the conversations kept coming back to the same topic: health.
These successful people didn’t talk about working more hours or sacrificing everything for their careers. They spoke about protecting their energy, prioritizing their well-being, and building habits that allow them to perform at a high level for the long haul.
“I initially thought success involved doing more—more work, more events, more networking,” said Andre Esteva, CEO and co-founder of ArteraAI. “I’ve found the opposite to be true: ruthlessly prune your schedule and tasks to serve just your top one to three goals and turn everything else away.”
This may be one of the most underrated forms of self-care for entrepreneurs.
When I recently spoke with Dr. Desi Bartlett, wellness expert and bestselling author she shared something that immediately resonated with me.
“Stress doesn’t just live in our minds—it lives in our bodies,” she said. “Sometimes the best thing you can do for your mental health is move, breathe deeply and reconnect with yourself.” Entrepreneurs live with uncertainty every day. Revenue changes. Markets shift. Employees leave. Deals fall apart. The pressure never completely goes away. That’s why learning how to manage stress isn’t just about feeling better.
Here’s what three of the stars of ABC’s Shark Tank had to say about prioritizing health to optimize performance.
Kevin O’Leary
Entrepreneurs have a reputation for grinding harder and sleeping less than the average employee, but not Kevin O’Leary. He believes taking care of yourself is one of the keys to sustaining high performance.
“If you want to have peak performance, you have to spend some time worrying about yourself,” O’Leary told me. “That includes some very basic things: exercise every day, eat good food, get sleep. You’re going to feel like a million bucks.”
It’s a simple idea, but one many founders overlook. Your mind is your greatest business asset. Taking care of it with a healthy lifestyle should be part of your business strategy.
Daymond John
In 2017, Daymond John was diagnosed with stage 2 thyroid cancer after a checkup revealed a nodule on his thyroid. Thankfully, doctors caught it early. The experience led him to focus on preventive care, regular screenings, and even biohacking, including fasting for 40 hours and cold plunges.
“Success means nothing if you don’t have your health,” John told me. During a panel at the 2025 Inc. 5000 conference, John also mentioned that, like many entrepreneurs focused on longevity, he would like to live to be 120 years old.
Entrepreneurs spend so much time taking care of everyone else—their employees, customers and businesses—that they often neglect themselves. You can always make more money. But you can’t always get your health back.
Barbara Corcoran
When I interviewed Barbara Corcoran, she said something that sounded counterintuitive, which has stuck with me:
“Every great decision I’ve made in business was made quickly without any thought. I’ve learned that thought gets in the way.” Corcoran’s lesson isn’t to be reckless. It’s a mental health strategy that comes from trusting yourself and not letting fear and analysis paralysis drain your energy.
Remember that a lot of stress comes from overthinking. We replay decisions in our heads. We worry about every possible outcome. We wait for certainty that rarely comes.
The most successful people I know protect their health. They understand that taking care of themselves isn’t time away from their business. It’s preparation for doing their best work. Success isn’t just about building wealth. It’s about having the energy, focus, and health to enjoy what you’ve built.
This post originally appeared at inc.com.
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