5 Daily Habits to Steal from Mark Wahlberg

Before he went by his given name, Mark Wahlberg was the one-and-only Marky Mark, infamous in the 1990s as the musical leader of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Since then, he’s evolved to add ‘actor’, ‘model’ and ‘producer’ to his resume, starring in well-received roles in Boogie Nights, Planet of the Apes and The Italian Job.

His acting has been praised, even earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Departed. Not to mention, he also received a nod from the Academy for directing The Fighter, too. As of lately, he’s starred in a series of comedies, from The Other Guys to Daddy’s Home and Ted, as well as Transformers. He’s dabbled with HBO for the Entourage and Boardwalk Empire and others, all of which have cemented his position in the industry.

All of this work has earned him a whopping net worth of $255 million, and of course, a Hollywood star of fame. Since 2001, he’s been happily married—and become a father four times—both of which he credits to his happiness. How does his superstar manage it all? Here, a few of his rumored habits from interviews.

He starts his day early with a workout.

Believe it or not, there are people who get up before the sunrise. And by before, we mean hours. And guess what they’re doing? Working out. We’re still scratching our heads (and yawning) too, but Wahlberg is one of these early risers. In an interview with BodyBuilding, he revealed his daily schedule includes waking at 4 a.m. to make breakfast, starting his workout at 5 a.m.

After the intensity at the gym, he’s downing a protein shake at 6:30 and eating turkey burgers at 7:30 a.m., as he drops the kiddos at school. “By 9 o'clock I'm having another meal, and I've already been to church and worked out. I feel like there isn't anything I can't accomplish.” If you really can’t fathom this routine (we couldn’t either), you can learn about his schedule here and follow him on Instagram for proof.

He thrives on discipline.

Most people who reach a high level of success have to be self-motivated and inclined to work toward greatness. This often requires setting some strict guidelines that monitor their lives.

For Wahlberg, discipline in his physical fitness, faith and career is the string that connects everything. “The only way to be the best is to keep working like you got nothing. Keep getting after it, and be more and more aggressive, more and more focused every day. I don’t know. I have more drive and desire now than I ever have,” he told Men’s Health. It’s also part of why he stepped off the concert stage and behind the camera. “There was no discipline with music. When I found movies, I became very disciplined and I realized there was no room for screwing around,” he shared with RCN.

He believes in second chances.

It hasn’t always been rosy for Wahlberg, who has battled alcoholism and drugs, even getting arrested. All of these events -- while difficult and negative -- have shaped his current health and religion centric lifestyle.

"Jail made me go to church and church eventually brought me to acting. So it was both of those things, and it was time as well, the passing of time,” he shared with The Guardian. These influences crystalized his drive, and he knew how much he had to offer. “I think I realized pretty early on I was very fortunate, you know? I had an opportunity, and I didn’t want to do anything to mess it up. So I always wanted to be the most prepared and do the best possible work that I could,” he told Relevant.

He hustles—big time.

If you’re someone who is always working toward the next best thing, you’re no stranger to the demands you have to make of yourself and others. It’s a trendy word these days, but a mantra that Wahlberg has been following for his lifestyle: hustle harder.

“It's all about hustling, whether it's in Boston or the film industry. I've been hustling my entire life -- acting my way into trouble and acting my way back out again. I'm just fortunate to have had the opportunity to apply it in a different direction,” he shared with The Guardian. At first, his hustle was credited to getting out of the streets, and today, he says it’s for his family. Whatever pushes you further, take it -- and run.

He starts his day with 15 minutes of prayer.

Even if you aren’t religious, having a quiet moment of meditation or calm before jumping into the day can set the tone. For Wahlberg, 15 minutes of prayer is his quiet time, and usually come from a devotional book a friend gave him.

“There are so many things that I think about that I pray about. Those that are less fortunate, those that don’t have God in their life and then all the responsibilities that I have as a husband, as a father. There are a lot of things that I need help and guidance on. I can lock in on what’s important and what I need to focus on and then, especially, express my gratitude,” he shared with Relevant. “Then from there, I just kind of go out and try to conquer the day.”

For more Daily Habits:

• 5 Daily Habits to Steal from Mark Cuban
• 5 Daily Habits to Steal from Will Smith
• 5 Daily Habits to Steal from Meghan Markle