Most people know Mark Cuban as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and an investor on the hit reality TV series Shark Tank on ABC. What many are unaware of, however, is how he has been able to garner success through a certain daily routine that has made him one of the richest men in America. Cuban is quite regimented, which can help entrepreneurs stay motivated and have clear goals that lead to success.
In general, the way we define success impacts our ultimate success. Many businesspeople imagine success as having millions of dollars, and while that certainly is something to strive towards, it doesn’t always bring happiness. Cuban told Inc. that his definition of success is “waking up in the morning with a smile on your face, knowing it’s going to be a great day.” Changing our outlook on what success means can change the overall work experience and take careers on paths never even imagined.
Cuban has noted that he is “fortunate” because he “put business first before [he] got married” and now he can “schedule around [his] kids as much as possible.” Of course, many entrepreneurs already have spouses and children, and this advice should not deter anyone from trying to reach his level of success. It may be, however, helpful to audiences such as young adults just getting out of school.
Daily Routine
So, what is Mark Cuban’s not-so-secret daily routine?
Some life-advice gurus suggest that we refrain from checking our phones instantly upon waking up, but this is not how Cuban operates. Instead, when his alarm rings at 6:30 a.m., he immediately checks his emails on his phone and deals with the most important tasks. In an October 2018 interview with CNBC, Cuban stated, “The key to reaching high levels of performance and productivity is to develop the lifelong habit of tackling your major task first thing each morning.”
In May of 2022, Cuban revealed to Balance the Grind that he completes the most important tasks around 10:30 a.m. and the remainder of his day involves keeping up with news, parenting his kids, and playing basketball or doing some other sort of exercise. Cuban also loves to read, even noting at one point that he reads a book or news for several hours every afternoon. Of course, responding to emails throughout the day also takes up at least a few hours of his time.
Read more: Cuban ends his day around 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM unless he has something to attend such as a Mavericks game or an event with his kids. He then watches TV shows of his choice, checks his email one more time, and goes to sleep around midnight. Overall, his approach allows him time to do things he enjoys while also finishing all of his work tasks.
Insightful Practices We Can Learn from Mark Cuban
There is no doubt Mark Cuban is a very busy entrepreneur, but he has obviously found a way to get everything done and manage his time right. For starters, Cuban is very opposed to long, drawn-out meetings that could have been put into an email or phone call. He has said during interviews that “meetings are a waste of time unless you are closing a deal” and that all meetings should have “a duration and set outcome before you agree to go.” Not attending pointless meetings gives Cuban a few free hours each day to get other important things done and follow his daily regimen.
Simply stated, Cuban knows how to prioritize tasks effectively while eliminating distractions and is, therefore, able to be actively involved in his business ventures as well as his family life. He also exhibits a strong work ethic and immense courage to take risks by investing in innovative ideas. This requires perseverance, which he also demonstrates through his unwillingness to give up even when something such as a business deal is not going as planned.
The fact that Cuban reads so much news every day is also useful for him as it helps him expand his knowledge base. He is continuously learning, which helps him stay in the know about various trends in every industry that will undoubtedly help him make solid business decisions. He is also hands-on with his business ventures, allowing him to know exactly what is going on with each one and this helps him make quick yet efficient decisions.
Read more: Another critical skill Cuban has mastered that we could all benefit from is communication. Especially when working within different industries, it is important to be able to network. Strong partnerships have definitely been essential to Cuban’s success, as he can learn from other people and be able to have more confidence in his choices.
Nobody is going to succeed 100% of the time, and learning how to embrace failure and use it as motivation instead of sulking can definitely bring success in the long run. In Cuban’s book, How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It, he wrote, “It doesn’t matter how many times you almost get it right. No one is going to know or care about your failures, and neither should you.”
Ultimately, figuring out the right work-life balance while making good business decisions can boost confidence and therefore lead to great achievements. Utilizing various techniques that Cuban uses daily can lead to both personal and professional growth and open up opportunities that had not been thought of before.
Perhaps one of Cuban’s most telling quotes about his life that summarizes why he has found so much success: “Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it all away from you.”
