I interviewed 21 self-made billionaires about their secrets to wealth and success-here's what I learned

Without good health, life can be miserable and no amount of success or money can make things better. Whether they're 40 or 80, the billionaires I spoke to all maintain their health by exercising regularly.

Brazilian entrepreneur Lirio Parisotto says he hits the treadmill three times a week. "My average calories burned per workout is 1,000," he tells me. "I do it whenever possible. It's harder when I'm traveling, but I always make up for the skipped days when I get back."

It was interesting to learn that many billionaires incorporate their favorite sports into their workout regimen. They claim that sports teaches you about winning and losing, both of which are essential skills in business and life. As Magna International founder Frank Stronach once told me, "In sports, you learn about character, competition and how to play fair."

Warren Buffett , a voracious reader, will be the first to tell you that reading is the most valuable source of knowledge. The Berkshire Hathaway CEO reads up to 500 pages per day.

When I asked Cho Tak Wong , chairman of Fuyao Group about the best piece of advice he'd give to the world, he answered, "I'd tell young people to read. Read books about how to do things right. Read books about how to be a good person."

If you have the stereotypical image of a billionaire reading the economy pages of national dailies, you're not wrong - some of them do just that. Many prefer the likes of The Economist, Financial Times, Fortune or The Wall Street Journal.

Billionaires love setting aside alone time...to think . They might do this by meditating or some other relaxing activity they enjoy.

Kim Beom-su , one of South Korea's most successful Internet entrepreneurs, uses his mornings to think deeply. "While taking a shower or walk, I take time to contemplate," he says. "This is my most important habit. It's during those times that I've been able to organize my thoughts, gain more clarity on certain things and develop new ideas."

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey is a strong advocate for meditation. In 2017, she partnered with Deepak Chopra to launch a 21-day digital audio meditation series. Each recording includes a mantra and questions designed to encourage self-reflective thinking.

Routines and rituals are sets of habits that, when practiced consistently, lead to profound, long-term results. Most billionaire routines start early in the day.

Some have simpler routines, some more complex ones, but as I mentioned earlier, typical elements of a billionaire morning routine include getting up early, exercising, reading and contemplating.

It doesn't matter when you do your routine activities. What counts is that you commit to doing them - even when you don't feel like it.

The billionaires I interviewed are some of the most disciplined people I've ever met. They set extraordinarily high standards for themselves and the people around them.

In sports, for example, you can't achieve great results if you don't have enough discipline to train regularly. The same applies to your life and career. Limit the distractions and temptations that hinder your progress. Show up. Be eager to grow your skills.