Success is often measured by the car you drive or the clothes you wear, but Dr. Shalin Patel is flipping the script. For him, wealth isn’t just about material possessions. No, it’s about something far rarer: washboard abs. In a world once dominated by symbols of luxury, the ultimate flex is now much more down-to-earth: health. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s Elon Musk have all made fitness a key part of their personal branding, showing that power in the corporate world no longer means financial success but also physical health.
As a father, dentist, real estate developer, entrepreneur, and fitness enthusiast, Patel has shown that it’s possible to excel in business, be an involved parent, and maintain peak physical condition — all at once. So how does he manage it?
A Very Rare Combination
The numbers are staggering. Multiple sources have cited that only 1 in 10,000 people over 40 become millionaires. Even rarer? Only 1 in 25,000 people over 40 maintain a visible six-pack, meaning they have a low enough body fat percentage to reveal those abs. Combine the two? The odds are astronomical, with ChatGPT reporting that the chances of a man over 40 being both a millionaire and having a six-pack are around 1 in 250 million!
Although these are just hypothetical prompts, the point is not to debate the odds, but should we even try to do it all? According to Patel, while the odds are long, they’re not impossible. He’s built a life where family, wealth, and fitness coexist, and his philosophy shows it’s all about the mindset. Let’s find out more about how he does it.
Discipline, Consistency, and “Cueing” the Environment
Patel’s success starts with one key ingredient: discipline. He doesn’t wake up at 5 AM because he’s feeling motivated. He wakes up early because he’s built a routine that makes success inevitable. “Fitness isn’t just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle,” he says. By the time many people hit their snooze button, Patel has already crushed a 1,000-calorie workout, tracked meticulously on his Apple Watch.
But it’s not just about working out, it’s about consistency. If he doesn’t hit his calorie burn goal in the morning, he makes up for it throughout the day by walking between meetings or even while on calls or at his kids’ practices. “I have treadmills and walking pads all over my house,” he shares. “I can stay active while working or spending time with my family.”
That same discipline carries over into his work life. “Discipline leads to habits. Habits lead to consistency. Consistency leads to growth.” His secret? “Cueing” his environment for success. He lays out his workout clothes the night before, keeps his phone out of reach in the morning, and doesn’t unlock it until he’s done with his workout. He deletes social media apps, making it harder to mindlessly scroll. He sets up his day for success, every step of the way.
“Boring” Is the Secret Sauce
Some might call Patel’s life “boring,” and that’s exactly how he likes it. He doesn’t drink alcohol, prioritizes early bedtimes, avoids happy hours and networking events, and eats the same meals 5-6 days a week. But for him, these “boring” habits are a badge of honor. “I may be boring, but I feel amazing,” he laughs. “I’m a better father and business leader because of these small decisions.”
It all boils down to delayed gratification. Patel is focused on long-term goals, whether it’s fitness, wealth, or family. “I think in years, not weeks,” he says. For fitness, that means measuring progress over months and years, not days. He takes a quarterly DEXA scan to track body fat and lean muscle tissue, aiming for steady improvement. For wealth, it’s about making smart investments in his businesses and index funds, allowing the power of compounding to work its magic. “I’d rather be a boring billionaire than a flashy millionaire.”
Time Audits and Flexing the “No” Muscle
Patel didn’t achieve all of this without some major sacrifices. The first step? A “time audit.” He tracked every minute of his day, down to the 15-minute mark, to see where he was losing time. What did he find? He was saying “yes” too often, diluting his time and energy. “I had to learn to decline invites far more than accepting them, and that’s what I call flexing my ‘no’ muscle,” he explains. This shift in mindset made him fiercely protective of his time. He gave up binge-watching TV, watching most sports games, playing fantasy football, stopped attending happy hours, and even outsourced his social media to avoid distractions.
Fueling the Body and the Mind and Removing Alcohol
To maintain a six-pack, Patel knows that discipline in the gym is only part of the equation. He follows a strict diet plan focused on lean proteins, complex carbs, and minimal processing. “I track everything I eat to stay within my macro and calorie goals,” he says. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are simple and clean — egg whites, hydrolyzed whey protein, oatmeal, fresh fruit, and Greek yogurt are staples. Dinner allows for some flexibility, with occasional cheat meals like pizza or burgers with his kids, but he always tracks and measures what he eats.
Removing alcohol was a game-changer. “It was affecting my recovery in the gym, my mental clarity at work, and my energy levels with my kids,” he says. “I haven’t had a drink in years, and I feel more energized than ever. I’m in better shape in my 40s than I was in my 20s and cutting out alcohol played a huge role in that.”
Breaking the “Dad Bod” Myth
Patel rejects the notion of the “Dad Bod,” the idea that once men hit a certain age or become fathers, they’re destined to let their fitness slide. “Aging is about mindset,” he asserts. “We don’t have the same excuses as women. Women go through so much with pregnancy and recovery. Men? We have no excuse. We have the time and should be committed to our health, especially for our families.”
He hopes to inspire other men to rethink their health priorities. “If I can get just one person to stop calling it a ‘Dad Bod’ and start taking their health seriously, or to stop drinking, then all of this content is worth it.”
The Power of the 100 Million Mindset
Patel’s philosophy is summed up in one idea: the 100 Million Mindset. It’s not just about wealth or fitness but a mindset that prioritizes long-term growth and consistency. His journey isn’t about instant results or flashy displays of success. It’s about consistent, incremental improvement. Whether it’s his business or his physique, Patel has mastered the art of delayed gratification, small daily improvements, and compound growth.
His approach isn’t just for business, it’s a blueprint for life. In his upcoming book, 100 Million Mindset: How to Master Discipline, Unleash Growth, and Achieve Limitless Success, Patel hopes to inspire others to embrace this mindset and prove that financial success and physical fitness are far from mutually exclusive.
With Patel leading the way, it’s clear that achieving both a six-pack and a multi-million dollar portfolio, even while being an engaged parent, might not be as rare as we think. After all, it’s the journey that makes the success so rewarding.
Learn more by visiting his website or following his Instagram page.
