Designing Your Life Through Habits with Michael Chernow

Michael Chernow is an entrepreneur, restaurateur, podcast host, and the founder of Kreatures of Habit, a wellness brand built around the power of daily discipline. Known for his “No Matter What Mindset,” Michael has been vocal about how consistent habits transformed his life, both personally and professionally. What began as a commitment to showing up for himself each day evolved into a larger mission to help others build structure, intention, and resilience through small, repeatable actions.

In this conversation, Michael shares what the “No Matter What” philosophy really means, how habits shape identity, and why the routines we practice daily, especially at night, quietly determine the life we create.

1. You talk a lot about the “No Matter What Mindset.” What does that phrase actually mean to you, and how did it shape your life?

The No Matter What mindset is based on my experience over the last 21 years that anything you truly want, and are willing to apply DOING to, can be done. No matter what.

There are very few things I’ve set out to accomplish over the last two decades that I haven’t brought to fruition. The main component of this philosophy is the DO part.

Want + Do = Have. That’s been my story.

There isn’t much room for “I’m too tired,” or “This is out of my comfort zone,” or “I’m just not smart enough in this area to succeed.” That’s exactly why I’ve created this mindset for myself.

I’m not great at many things, maybe one or two, which means I have to take risks, especially when my insecurities start to surface.

The No Matter What mindset is the tape I play in my head when those thoughts creep in… and they do… haha

2. How does that mindset translate into daily habits? What does “no matter what” look like on an average Tuesday, not just on your best days?

Having a non-negotiable morning routine is what has grounded me on a daily basis for years. The commitment and consistency of a rigorous morning routine pours the foundation for the rest of the day.

This is what my morning looked like today.

Woke up at 5:15am, popped out of bed, and headed down to the kitchen. Added a number of supplements to my 30oz of room temp water, then into the bathroom for my oral and skin care protocol. After that, I did my prayers, pushups, and stretching.

Sat with my ozone machine for a 2-minute session and did some box breathing. Then back to the kitchen for a quick shot of coffee, grabbed my water bottle, and headed into the garage gym. Rucked uphill on the treadmill for 25 minutes, followed by an hour of strength training.

Now it’s 7am and I shift into dad and husband mode. Hung with the family from 7 to 8, then into the sauna for 25 minutes, cold plunge for 5 minutes, showered, and out the door by 8:45. At my desk by 9:15.

3. Do you believe discipline is something people are born with, or something they build through repetition and consistency?

We’re all born with it, or at least the ability to build it. It just takes time to develop the trust in how powerful it can be.

4. When someone says they want to change their life, where should they actually begin? What is the first habit you would have them examine?

What time they go to bed at night. Not joking.

Get to bed early, get a good night’s sleep, and you give yourself the chance to rise early. When you rise early, you can own your morning. When you own your morning, you own your day. When you own your day, you own your life.

5. You eventually built Kreatures of Habit around this philosophy. Why did you feel called to turn your personal habits into a company? What gap were you trying to fill in the wellness space?

I believe the only way to truly build community is through connection and authenticity. My life story, going from struggle and survival to living and thriving, is the most authentic thing I have.

Spending most of my life in the restaurant business, the biggest lesson I took away is that the strength of your community will dictate your success, through thick and thin. I’m very good at connecting with people, and I believe that’s my strongest asset. It’s also why I was successful in hospitality.

After the pandemic, when I was thinking about what was next, I realized it was time to align the way I live my life with a business. That’s when KOH came to be.

I chose HABIT as the north star. Most people think of habits as something they need to break. For me, habits were a double-edged sword. My bad habits nearly killed me, but when I replaced them with healthy ones, that’s when everything started to change.

The reality is, it’s hard to sell good habits. You can’t really sell going to bed early, waking up early, going to the gym, or walking 10,000 steps a day. But I knew I could sell a simple, consistent habit to start the day, something that could act as a catalyst for better decisions throughout the rest of it.

That’s what happened to me back in August 2004 when I got sober. It started with something small. Oatmeal.

I believed I could turn that small win into something bigger, offering people an easy way to feel successful before 8am.

KOH is a business built on that idea, a real story, a real mission, and something I felt was missing in the wellness space, especially when it comes to breakfast.

6. A lot of people focus heavily on morning routines, but discipline also shows up at night. How do you think about nighttime habits and recovery within the “No Matter What” framework?

The number one habit I believe is the matchstick for everything else is going to bed early and at the same time every night, barring special events or dinners. I’m just as regimented with my evening routine as I am with my morning routine. It’s critical for me to sleep well if I plan on performing well in life.

The go-to-bed alarm is way more important than the wake-up alarm.

7. For someone trying to build better nighttime consistency, especially if stress, racing thoughts, or outside noise get in the way, how can tools like Ozlo Sleepbuds support that commitment to recovery?

Distractions only exist if we let them. Some distractions are terrible, while others can be incredibly helpful. I think of Ozlo Sleepbuds as a distraction I choose to use every night to get me out of my head and into my bed.

They’ve been an amazing tool for helping me tune out the noise in my mind, wind down, and fall asleep.

Ready to build better habits?
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