The 22-year-old stand-off has made six GUINNESS PRO12 appearances for the Warriors this season, helping his side to within a point of top spot after 13 matches.
And his rise to first-choice Scotland fly-half ahead of this weekend's clash with France only emphasises how far he has come from his previous career.
"It could be tough but I enjoyed it," he told the Scotsman. "But compared to playing rugby, it's night and day.
"If I ever have a bad day at training, I think back to what it was like working in that cold shed.
"When I got offered my contract with Glasgow three years ago, I wasn't sure if I should accept it.
"But I looked around and thought: 'Do I want to be here all my life or do I want to give rugby a crack?'
"Now I just sit and think how blessed I am that it has all paid off."
Russell's domestic duties with Glasgow will take a back seat in the coming weeks, as he prepares to spearhead the Scottish attack over the spring, a challenge he knows he must shoulder.
"The position I play, I'm expected to be the playmaker, so it can be tough coming in and telling guys who have been playing for five or 10 years, like Ross Ford or Greig Laidlaw, what to do," he said.
"I'm not daunting but it can make you nervous trying to tell them to do this and that.
"However, I'm expected to be the brains of the attack and if I think something is best, these guys have to listen to me and go along with it."
Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to ourYouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for ournewsletter for regular updates on the GUINNESS PRO12
Guinness PRO12 Warriors News
Guinness PRO12
Suite 208, Alexandra House,
The Sweepstakes
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland
63x46.png){kind=logo}