How I Work: $10M/Year Serial Entrepreneur

Sam Parr runs companies that generate over $10 million a year, but he describes himself as a lazy person who procrastinates constantly. His system for getting things done is built around that admission, not in spite of it. In this conversation on Starter Story, Parr walks through his daily routines and the psychology that underpins them, offering a grounded look at how a serial entrepreneur actually operates when the cameras are off.

The Morning: Removing Friction Before the Day Starts

Parr wakes between 6:00 and 6:30 a.m. and goes straight for black coffee with a splash of whole milk. He’s in the gym 20 to 30 minutes later, lifting heavy or sprinting, six days a week. On rest days, he stretches obsessively. The key detail is that he does not look at his phone until right before his workout, and even then, only to load his exercise plan. He uses an app called Brick to lock his phone, and he’s serious enough about it that he once smashed a timed kitchen safe container when he needed access too badly. The reason is psychological: “The problem with social media, particularly with Twitter, is that everyone seems like they’re killing it,” he says. “Well the truth is, is I've seen behind the scenes of almost all of these businesses… everyone has a lot of complaints, and everyone at times wishes they were doing something else.” For Parr, going analog is a way to shut off the t