The founder of Bulletproof Coffee shares the morning routine that sets him up for success

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Dave Asprey, a cloud computing executive turned biohacking guru, has built a multimillion-dollar empire around his DIY approach to enhancing human performance. And it all started with a cup of buttered coffee.

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Asprey is the founder and CEO of Bulletproof, a wellness company that sells books, cognitive enhancement supplements (or "smart drugs"), and Bulletproof Coffee - a proprietary blend of specialty coffee, unsalted butter, and oil made from coconut extract. Last year, the company sold 48 million cups of coffee.

When it comes to his morning routine, the 43-year-old entrepreneur practices what he preaches.

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Each day, Asprey wakes up on an organic farm in Vancouver and swallows a fistful of pills designed to boost his energy, focus, and brain function. They include Coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that occurs naturally in the body and helps cells produce energy more efficiently, and activated charcoal, a form of carbon that's been shown to ease gas and bloating. (The photo below shows an extra-large load of vitamins that Asprey took after New Year's Eve.)

For breakfast, he blends the ingredients for Bulletproof Coffee and makes enough for the whole family. Asprey says the morning brew gives him a lasting feeling of fullness.

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His kids, ages 7 and 9, each get two ounces of coffee as well, in addition to a full breakfast.

"They've been drinking [Bulletproof] since they were one," Asprey says. "They metabolize caffeine twice as fast as adults, like all kids do, so it has zero effect on their behavior."

Asprey believes the drink's "Brain Octane" oil - a proprietary formula that includes coconut extract - keeps his children full longer.

"The Brain Octane turns off their hunger so they can focus and read and play. Most kids, because they're growing, spend half their energy asking if they can have candy. My son complains, 'As soon as we get to school, they start having snacks, but I don't want snacks.' My kids go four hours without eating," he says.

Asprey also leaves his phone in airplane mode during the morning until he drops his kids off at school. That way, he doesn't get notifications - a strategy that keeps him focused on what matters, he says.

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"Your nervous system is watching out for alerts," he told Business Insider last fall. When your phone is on, "you're getting electromagnetic frequencies that you don't need."

Asprey estimates he's spent $1 million over the last two decades on supplements, devices, testing, and medical therapy technologies for his home, where he conducts wellness experiments on himself. He told Business Insider he plans to live to be 180.

"There's no better investment than yourself, period. Because every time you invest in yourself ... the returns affect you and everyone around you, forever," Asprey says.