At just 26, Christian Carbone, a former pro-swimmer turned real estate investor, and Harvard graduate has made quite the name for himself in the real estate business. While still a university student, he started investing for his own account and completed over $8 million in deals by the time of his graduation. Early entry into the field and dedication has led Christian to split his time (pre-pandemic) between his favorite cities: New York, London, and Tokyo. Between business and pleasure he traveled like a jetsetter, boarding close to 60 flights, most of them international, in 2019 alone. For a person, who spends a good chunk of his life flying and staying in hotels the world must be organized in a somewhat different way.
“I have always prized efficiency. Life is short and precious. Know what you want, and then find the simplest, most direct way to accomplish your objective. That’s how I approach life, whether I am negotiating a business deal or scheduling my day,” notes Christian of his life credo in an interview last year by Elite Luxury News. This efficiency manifests in multiple ways, one being his love for living in hotels, which he regards as the perfect and most efficient way of organizing one’s living space.
Given his extensive flying experience, Christian has a handful of useful tips for frequent flyers who want to look good after they step back on the tarmac. He always brings a silk sleeping mask to ensure he gets a good rest, a skin moisturizer to ward off the effects of dry on-board air, and he stays away from alcohol, instead opting for plenty of water during the flight to stay hydrated. In flying, he prefers soft joggers and a soft cashmere sweater, or a t-shirt in case of warmer temps upon landing. He packs all his onboard necessities into a carry-on, alternating between the three—because even on board, one must look their best.
An experienced traveler and a person who values time above all, Christian does not waste any during his flights, getting a healthy amount of sleep for at least half of the flight time, and reviewing business documents for upcoming meetings during the rest. Another way he spends his time is reading. An avid reader and a lifelong student of history and biographies, Christian believes that the most successful people are cognizant of their fortes and weaknesses, and are able to analyze and memorize their mistakes. “For me, confidence comes from knowing where I am strong and where I am weak, and aggressively applying my strengths, and humbly finding solutions for my weaknesses,” reflected Christian in an interview last year by Disrupt Magazine.
Another useful lifestyle lesson Christian can teach is his recipe for staying fit no matter where he is. Since the globetrotter is often in new locations, whether it be a hotel in Tokyo or the French Riviera, his routine—which he sticks to every morning, with no excuses—has to work no matter where life takes him. It consists of 1.5 hours of vigorous exercise, mostly with his body weight—push ups, situps, ab curls, and cardio. This keeps him energized during the day and helps get a healthy night’s sleep.
The daily discipline and healthy lifestyle that has always kept Christian on top of his game are more important now that ever. With the world locked down around him, Christian’sinspirational and aspirational Instagram account shows him staying fit and working hard through the quarantine, and we can only imagine what successes he will achieve in 2021.