Discover the surprisingly simple habits wealthy people use to stay mentally sharp—and why they might be easier to adopt than you think.
If you spend enough time around wealthy people—not just flashy-rich, but the kind of rich that’s built on discipline and depth—you start noticing certain patterns.
I’ve worked in high-end hospitality. Served wine to tech founders, plated pasta for real estate moguls. And while the watches varied and the dinner preferences ranged from dry-aged ribeye to uni on rice, a few quiet habits showed up again and again.
These weren’t grand productivity hacks or time-blocked Google calendars. These were subtle, almost boring habits. The kinds of things that don't go viral but have serious staying power.
Let’s break down seven of the most underrated activities rich people do to keep their minds sharp—and why they’re more accessible than you might think.
1. They read (a lot)
Not tweets. Not emails. Actual books.
This might not sound sexy, but it works. As Thomas C. Corley found in his five-year study on self-made millionaires, 88% of them spent at least 30 minutes a day on reading related to self-education or self-improvement.
I’ve seen this firsthand. One regular at a place I used to manage was a hedge fund guy who always had a book tucked under his arm. Not for show. He read it while waiting for his steak. And not just finance books either—he was into biographies, philosophy, even books on bird migration.
Books expand your thinking. They help you pattern-match. And if you read enough, they also help you slow down, reflect, and make sharper decisions.
This one habit is like compound interest for your brain.
2. They walk (without their phone)
Beethoven did it. Steve Jobs made it a habit. Charles Dickens used to walk up to 20 miles a day.
The point? Movement sharpens thinking.
There’s something deeply clarifying about a quiet walk, no music, no podcast, no distraction. Just letting your thoughts wander.
Personally, I started doing this after meals—10 to 15 minutes outside, rain or shine. It’s now my go-to reset button when I’m overwhelmed or creatively blocked.
And it’s not just a vibe thing. A Stanford study found that walking boosts creativity by up to 60%. That’s not a fluke—it’s a strategy.
3. They meditate like it’s a workout
“Meditation more than anything in my life was the biggest ingredient of whatever success I’ve had,” said billionaire Ray Dalio.
That quote hit me. Because meditation used to sound like something reserved for monks or people who have better morning routines than I do. But the reality is: it’s just mental hygiene.
Most rich people I know don’t sit in caves chanting mantras. But they do sit with their thoughts. Even five to ten minutes a day makes a difference.
Meditation clears mental clutter, lowers stress, and improves your ability to focus—which is basically the holy trinity of cognitive edge in a distracted world.
If you're new to it, start with a simple breath-counting practice. Or try an app like Headspace. No incense required.
4. They spend time in nature
This one surprised me when I started noticing it.
Many of the wealthiest people I’ve met? They’re gardeners. Or they hike. Or they retreat to cabins on the weekends and come back glowing like they just got a brain detox.
Turns out there’s research to back the glow. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is linked to improved well-being and cognitive function.
There’s something about green spaces that resets your nervous system. No screens. No overstimulation. Just space to breathe and think.
And honestly, it’s made me rethink how I use my weekends. I still love my food markets and espresso bar hopping—but now I try to sneak in a park walk or sit under a tree. It works.
5. They get uncomfortable on purpose
The richest people I know—mentally and financially—don’t chase comfort. They chase challenge.
Whether it’s cold plunges, fasting, writing a book, or learning a new skill, they deliberately put themselves in situations that stretch them.
Why? Because discomfort is where the edge is.
This is something that really landed for me after reading Rudá Iandê’s new book, Laughing in the Face of Chaos. He talks a lot about the intelligence in our emotions and the way fear isn’t an enemy—it’s an ally.
One quote in particular stuck with me:
“Fear, when understood, is not our enemy. It's an intrinsic part of the human experience.”
Since reading that, I’ve started treating my resistance as a compass. If something feels scary (public speaking, pitching a new idea), I lean into it instead of avoiding it.
Because growth doesn’t happen in the comfy zone. It happens on the edges—where your assumptions get challenged and your ego gets humbled.
6. They spend time alone (on purpose)
We’re in an age of constant stimulation. If there’s even a 30-second wait at a red light, we’re reaching for our phones.
But high performers? They carve out time to be alone with their thoughts.
Not just scrolling, but actively unplugged. Thinking. Reflecting. Writing. Just being.
Solitude is where insight lives. It’s how big ideas surface. And it’s how you develop self-awareness—without which, you’re basically flying blind.
I didn’t realize how rare true solitude had become until I went a whole afternoon without touching my phone. I felt twitchy for the first hour. Then came calm. Then clarity.
More of us need that kind of space. Because if you’re never alone with yourself, how will you know what you really think?
7. They reflect—deeply and often
Finally, and maybe most importantly, rich people I admire take reflection seriously.
They journal. They review their decisions. They learn from their mistakes.
One guy I served regularly used to keep a small notebook in his blazer. He’d jot things down after business meetings, meals, even random conversations. I asked him once what he was writing, and he said, “Lessons. Everything’s a lesson if you’re paying attention.”
That line stuck with me.
Reflection sharpens your pattern recognition. It helps you avoid repeating the same mistakes. And it trains your brain to look for wisdom in the mundane.
Even just five minutes a day to ask: What did I learn? What triggered me? What do I want to do differently tomorrow?
It’s like sharpening the knife before you cook. It makes everything smoother.
Final thoughts
None of these habits are groundbreaking on their own. You’ve heard of most of them.
But the magic isn’t in knowing—they’re in the doing. And more specifically, in the consistency.
Rich people don’t just chase money. They protect their minds like an asset.
They read. They walk. They unplug. They think deeply. They do the boring things that sharpen their edge over time.
This post was partly inspired by what I’ve observed and partly shaped by the insights I picked up from Rudá Iandê’s Laughing in the Face of Chaos.
The book reminded me that growth doesn’t come from fixing yourself—but from recognizing how whole you already are.
His work has helped me see low-key habits like these not just as productivity tools, but as quiet rituals of self-respect.
Because ultimately, staying sharp isn’t about hacking your life. It’s about paying attention to it.
And that’s something anyone—regardless of income—can start doing today.
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