Real estate titan and star of Netflix's Owning Manhattan, Ryan Serhant, has made a startling confession about his relationship with his career, describing it as an 'addiction' from which he suffers genuine 'withdrawals' when he attempts to take a break.
The Relentless Drive of a Property Mogul
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail ahead of his show's return on December 5, the 41-year-old broker and CEO of SERHANT. revealed the intense difficulty he faces in switching off from work. He admitted that stepping away leaves him feeling profoundly 'off', a central narrative explored in the programme's second season.
Serhant explained that his compulsion to work is so ingrained that he lives and breathes it, a sentiment he shares with his assistant in the season's closing episode. 'I focus on the work because the work keeps me focused,' he stated, drawing a parallel to other addictive cycles. This relentless drive comes at a personal cost, with Serhant voicing concern over not being present enough for his wife of 11 years, Emilia, and their six-year-old daughter, Zena.
A Rigid Regime for Control
Faced with the immense pressures of running his own company—responsibilities he admits weighed on him more than anticipated—Serhant has implemented a strict personal regime to exert control where he can. This begins with a 4:30 am weekday wake-up, followed immediately by a brutal gym session.
'My life is very much out of my control, so the things I can control, I control the f**k out of,' he told the Daily Mail. His meticulously planned seven-day exercise routine is a cornerstone of this philosophy:
- Monday: Push exercises (chest, shoulders, triceps).
- Tuesday: Pull exercises (back, biceps).
- Wednesday: Legs.
- Thursday & Friday: Full body workouts.
- Saturday: Steady-state cardio and core.
- Sunday: A class, often something he dislikes like Pilates.
Complementing this, Serhant practices intermittent fasting most days, consuming food within a strict six-hour window. He champions this method over weight-loss drugs, arguing that true hunger ensures adequate protein intake to prevent muscle loss.
An Unresolved Battle for Balance
Despite the structured routine, Serhant is candid about his ongoing struggle. He reflected that the last few years building his business have been 'really, really hard', with constant problems landing on his desk. While he is unwavering in his ambition to be the world's best broker, he is making a conscious effort to shift his mindset from waking up to 'go be important' to waking up and 'being happy'.
Yet, the addiction persists. 'I don't think I've fully solved that,' he mused about his work relationship. He even joked that viewers might see him seeking help at a MedSpa in a potential third season. For now, the pre-dawn gym sessions remain his anchor, a difficult but necessary discipline to tackle the hardest part of his day before 7 am and maintain the focus that fuels his empire.
