Dre London could write his own book on success. The British-born entrepreneur came to the United States in 2008, and decided to shut himself off from the social world for nearly two years to grind toward his goals. And in that self-isolating process he turned a dream into reality—becoming the brains behind some of music’s hottest stars and, now, the face of one of the fastest-growing tequila brand in the United States.
But even for this self-described 24/7 hustler and disruptor, London has to occasionally open a book—or, in his case, turn on an audiobook—on those rare occasions when life unintentionally veers off the rails. “It’s Atomic Habits, and you’d think I was getting paid for mentioning this book—but I’m not,” he says. “It’s just helped me so many times in my life. Whenever I’m slacking, I go back to Atomic Habits.”
London will put on the earbuds and listen to James Clear’s best-selling self-help book during his daily workout session. These days, the former soccer-playing Brit has been hitting the treadmill as his main muscle-maintaining movement while at the same staying mentally on point in order to help sustain his wide-ranging business portfolio without any disruptions. Staying sharp allows him to continue thriving on endless energy despite less than ideal sleep habits—and just one meal a day.
“I’m probably a 19-hour CEO. I do have to sleep for a few hours,” he says. “Everything I try to do, I try to win. I’m a 24/7 hustler.”
Little checklists that most people take for granted—down to details like laying out a set of workout clothes the night before—have become the mundane but essential professional pillars that have allowed London to continue his run of big moves, which include discovering and managing global superstar Post Malone before moving on to help launch Don Londrés, one of the fastest-growing Black-owned tequila brands on the market.
While outsiders may not have noticed, London’s rise is the result of years of sacrifice and avoiding distractions in order to now be recognized as one of the business world’s biggest disruptors.
“Success doesn’t come overnight,” he says. “People think, ‘Wow, he’s so lucky. This just happened to him.’ No, no one who’s successful has ever done it overnight. Not one person. It may look like it from the outside, but that be 10 years of nights.”
Dre London’s Steady Climb Toward Self Improvement
What keeps Dre London grounded—while continuously moving and shaking the business world—is his continuous commitment to self-improvement, both physically and psychologically. Even as a worldwide disruptor, some of London’s golden rules include keeping an open mind, being willing to listen, and never stop learning.
The principles apply to his wellness as well. After a nagging hip injury forced him to give up long-distance running, the high-energy entrepreneur took the advice of a few friends and turned to high-incline treadmill walks. Depending on his schedule, London aims for 30 to 45 minutes a day.
“A lot of women have told me—and I didn’t believe them at first—to put the treadmill on about a 12 or 13 incline and do about 3 mph,” he admits. “In 30 minutes, you’re burning about 300 calories. I’ll do 45 minutes, even an hour. It’s incredible the amount of calories that you burn, so I’m learning that you don’t have to go outside and jog on any hard surface. You can do this!”
London has also taken a unique approach to another wellness must in his routine: intermittent fasting. The practice of alternating periods of eating and fasting throughout the day has been touted for more health benefits than just fat loss, including improved heart health and enhanced performance. London takes it a step further, usually relying on just one meal—typically dinner—while drinking water, natural juices, and the occasional smoothie to get through the day. He treats dinner, usually a salad with protein, as a reward for a full day’s work.
“When I don’t eat one meal a day, I get into a position I don’t like—it makes me feel lazy,” London explains. “The best thing I’ve ever found for working out has been intermittent fasting. Nothing beats it. If I just don’t eat all day and I have dinner, it’s perfect… I like to train my brain to be hungry—I work for that meal, go for a whole day of grinding, and make sure that meal is the championship.”
Relentless Consistency and the Power of Daily Routine
In London’s view, whether you’re building a brand or building a broader set of shoulders, it takes more than one great idea or a few kickass workouts to fulfill your goal. Regardless of his objective—or who he’s been out with the previous night—being consistent in always delivering his best self has remained the key to continued success in both fitness and business.
“I remember one morning, I left people at the club around 2 or 3 in the morning, and I was up by 5:30 to meet [Noriega] for his Run Club,” he recalls. “People looked at me like I was insane. They woke up and saw my stories and said, ‘Hold up. This guy was just here! Three hours later, he’s now there.’ So I can’t afford to have the beer gut. The beer gut doesn’t help disruption.”
To stay on schedule, London still relies on a daily checklist of goals and routines that he considers more important in the long run than just a “daily grind.” For all his successes, he still takes not hitting his daily marks personally. The only difference is that London refuses to dwell on it—it’s back to work.
“Routine is the ecstasy of winning,” Dre explains. “Whenever you’re on a routine and you don’t stop, that’s how you get fit at the gym… that routine breeds all the results you need.” Whether it’s waking up early, sticking to his workout schedule, or maintaining a clean diet, London’s success is built on the foundation of daily discipline.
One of Dre’s favorite strategies is habit stacking—another concept he picked up from Atomic Habits. “I put my gym clothes on the floor, so when I wake up, they’re right there,” he says. “It sounds crazy, but when I roll out of bed and see my sneakers and T-shirt, I have no excuses.”
London has no tolerance for those who make excuses either. “Excuses are a comfort to a fool,’ he adds. “That’s part of habit stacking. You’re putting something in place before you even start your routine. When you see it, you know what you’re supposed to do—put on those clothes and get moving.”
Even on the road, which occupies a great portion of London’s time, following through on his fitness routine is is critical. Achieving this not only requires preparation but also execution. Before he travels, he sets his mind to working out daily, so when he arrives, the routine is already in motion. Hotels must have adequate gyms, and if he’s staying in an Airbnb, he’ll seek out buildings with fitness facilities. The rest is up to him.
Each morning, no matter the time zone, his workout clothes are near his bed, providing enough of a visual cue to get up and and start sweating before the excuses and distraction begin.
“Make sure you’re executing every day, because you could be busy just being busy,” he says. “I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people on the phone saying, ‘I’m having a busy day,’ but they’re just busy being busy. Where’s the execution?”
