When I was in college (University of Illinois) and shortly after I graduated, I worked at a Gold’s gym. I would open it at 5:30 each morning!
There was something about waking up early and getting the day started. Some days were harder than others.
When I was younger, I used to detassel corn. It was one of my first real jobs. It was hard working and very dirty. But it instilled a strong work ethic in me.
For some reason these experiences popped into my head this morning. Maybe because I woke up at 4:04 am. Or maybe because I was reminding myself to stick to what I know works. This month, I’ve been thinking more about what works and what doesn’t with respect to habits. Throughout the years I’ve been wrong about a LOT of things! However, I have also been RIGHT about some things. At times, I have wandered away from things that work really well. Now I’m wondering if these thoughts from this morning were a gentle reminder for me to stick to what WORKS!
Do you wake up early? Do you think you could never be that kind of person who wakes up before the sun rises? Think again! Anyone can decide that they are going to wake up early. How? Simple.
- Do It! As Jocko Wilink says, “To wake up early you must wake up early!” Seriously, you will have to begin waking up earlier than you have in the past.
- Go to bed earlier! This means you will need to go bed earlier to make the most of the morning hours. Most people fail because they have a weak shut down evening routine. They want to work every moment, when they need to figure out a way to have more leisure time! Is that you? If so, then now is your time to change course.
- Have a strong WHY. If you wake up early but don’t make it meaningful, then you’re just wasting time. Make it count. Follow the example of Jesus. He got up early in the morning to pray, Mark 1:34-35. That’s a strong why. Get up early to meditate, Philippians 4:6-8. Or maybe to workout, or to build your business, or to read that book! Whatever it is, make sure you have a strong WHY!
- Turn it into a challenge. Give yourself a reward if you hit your target time after 30-days. Make it fun. If you constantly complain about waking up early, you will default back to your normal routine. No Complaining! Only Contentment.
There’s more to say, but this should be sufficient for now! Time to get after it. Let’s do this!
If you’re interested in being part of a community where I create a number of unique challenges to help you become better, then check out my I Can Do Community on Mighty Networks! Click the link below.