When you wake up early each day, you join a small percentage of high achievers who are living their dreams. By simply changing your approach to becoming an early riser with purpose, you will literally change the path of your career. Don’t just take my word for it. Here are a few famous early risers: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein and my fellow Greek, Aristotle. Here’s a list of 24 successful people in the business world that are known for being the “early bird, that catches the worm.”
Win the Day: The morning ritual.
What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “early morning ritual”? Don’t think of this in a religious context. I see it as a prescribed procedure for a particular result – a “recipe” if you may. Rituals do not always produce the intended results, but they do increase the probabilities. Before you design your morning ritual, here is an article on the 10 benefits of rising early, and how to do it.
ACTION: To get in the habit of waking up earlier. Set your alarm a half an hour sooner than you currently do. Repeat this for 3-4 weeks and you’ve gained 2 hours for yourself to win the day. Ease into it.
Win the Day: Designing your morning ritual.
Here are seven steps to developing your morning ritual.
Acknowledge that you already have a ritual.
You pretty much do the same things every day. Maybe it’s as simple as you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock three times before you get going. Then you make a cup of coffee, brush your teeth, take a shower…
Document your existing ritual.
You have a recipe that is producing the results you are already getting. What are the key components of your ritual? From the time you wake up until the time you start your day. Be honest and write it down.
Evaluate your existing ritual.
If your current ritual is achieving the results you want, don’t change it for the sake of changing. But, if you see an area to get that extra edge, then consider changing your routine.
Determine the result you want.
This is when it gets interesting. Begin with the end in mind, as Stephen Covey used to say. Fast forward to the end of the process. Ask yourself, “How do I want to feel when I’ve completed my early morning ritual?” What state do you wish to be in? This is the target you are trying to hit!