Mastering the Morning: A Time for Productivity and Focus
When it finally hits us, we wonder why we didn’t realize it all along. You’ll laugh when I say it. But after you think about it, you’ll realize that this might be your reality. It is this:
Great things don’t happen to you. You make great things happen.
It sounds simple. But it is more difficult when put into practice.
Just like we say, “Do first things first,” the question becomes when we are going to do “that first thing.”
I’ve known many successful people. Almost all start in the morning. Why?
For the most part, morning is filled with isolation. Early in the morning, no one is up but you. The world and all that can be accomplished are basically your own.
Yes, I know that some of us love to work at night. I used to work all night and was less productive during the day. I reversed things, and it made all the difference. Instead of writing and working in the evenings and throughout the night after I am tired from the day, I tackle the most important projects and goals first thing in the morning when my mind, body, and emotions are at their most fresh.
I’m not telling you what to do. I’m telling you what has worked for me and those other successful people that I have known.
It takes discipline to get up in the morning, turn on the coffee pot, turn on the home office lights, get the coffee, and then sit down to work. It’s difficult leaving that warm, snuggly bed with all its subtle smells of peaceful sleep. But the minute I sit down – I’m writing this off the top of my head at 5:10 this morning – I find things start flowing. All the things I’ve dreamed about now come pouring out of me. It is a continuation of the subconscious state, a channeling of all my mind has worked on while sleeping the night before.
I like the time of day when there are no interruptions. There are no notifications on my phone (because all the marketers think I’m asleep), and there are no household or business interruptions because everyone else is sleeping. Starting early alone with myself and my dreams has changed my life.
I relish the morning for its productivity and clarity. As the day progresses, distractions and other obligations start vying for my attention as others awake to begin their day. But that’s okay. I’ve already achieved significant things before the outside world begins to encroach. The sense of accomplishment is invigorating and sets the tone for the rest of the day.
So, of all times of the day, when I’m fresh and at my best game, I have found that mornings are the best time to focus on the main thing. Again, I used to be a night owl. I’m reformed. And I’m a believer.
Developing the discipline to start the day early can be challenging, but it's not impossible. Try setting a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, creating a morning routine that you enjoy, and setting specific goals for your early morning hours. If it doesn’t work, stop. But pump up that discipline to try it and see what you can accomplish in silence, starting in darkness and then feeling the life that comes as you have a fulfilling morning drinking your coffee. The sun rises to announce a new day filled with all your accomplishments.
See if starting your day in the silence and solitude of the morning doesn’t propel you to The Top 1% of your industry and The Top 1% of your game. The potential for personal growth and success is immense, and it's within your reach if you're willing to embrace the early morning routine.
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