It’s no secret that success, no matter what discipline or industry, comes to those who emulate a hard work ethic, dedication and sacrifice. With very few exceptions, most highly successful people have an early morning routine that sets the rest of the day up for greatness.
These people include CEO’s, architects, government officials, and a list of many others. What do these people have that you don’t right now – nothing too special – just the ability to create productive habits and train the mind to work for them rather than against them.
The following are just a few of the most prominent successful habitual endeavors of people like Walt Disney, Robert Iger, and the famous Frank Lloyd Wright that were practiced on a daily basis.
They Visualize a Plan for the Day
Never have I heard news of the President of the United States walking up to the podium in front of millions of Americans and just “wingin’ it.” As the old saying goes, “Success happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Productive people have a tendency to wake up with a visualization plan every morning. They map out the proposed tasks for the day, accomplishments desired and executions necessary to bring success. Problem solving occurs as a process and the first step to solving a problem is identifying that there is one – the sooner you act the better. Whether it is a sheet of paper, a smartphone, or a voice recorder, grab yourself something to jot down short term, daily accomplishable tasks. This could be simply setting a diet plan for the day or concentrating on a business problem quietly for 10 minutes without distraction.
They Exercise
Obviously people have come to realize that daily exercise, whether it is a 10 minute jog or a full workout regiment, relieves stress and promotes clear thinking. In addition, energy levels will be higher and a few ab crunches will soon replace the normal two cups of coffee needed to function in the early hours. But more than energy, exercise provides something unique to each individual – a sense of accomplishment for the rest of the day. Even if the day goes to crap and becomes a nightmare, at the end of the day you can always look back to the beginning and say, “Yea, I still crushed 200 sit-ups this morning!”
They Eat a Healthy Balanced Breakfast
This is probably one of the hardest tasks to accomplish in the morning, but is crucial to the success of your day. Just as exercising will provide energy, the lack of a healthy, full breakfast will take it away. Studies have shown that a hungry body is less likely to react and adapt to situations due to lack of nutrients – when people say that someone is “sharp” it most likely points to their eating habits. Find yourself a source of protein, whether it comes in the form of a shake, eggs, or some low-calorie meat. Accompanying protein with orange juice and fiber will promote alertness, energy, and mind-strength throughout the day.
They Tackle the Hardest Tasks Early
We are all guilty of avoiding difficult situations in life because they don’t bring us joy or excitement. These tasks include the tedious paperwork, mean boss encounters, difficult sales calls, and stressful competitions. By holding onto these tasks, you are psychologically holding onto excess stress that will negatively affect the rest of your day. Set your schedule to accomplish difficult or stressful tasks early so that as the day progresses you get stronger and stronger, even though your energy levels may become lower.
Success is in the Details
If you want to improve your habits the one piece of advice I would give is simply, ‘Create an unbreakable desire for attention to detail.’ The voice inside our heads, as much as it provides greatness through creativity and thought, will create distraction. Taming this beast is truly the key to success. Following these habits each and every morning will help train the mind to work for you, rather than allowing it to control you.
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This article was written by Matthew Hall, a content writer for SaatvaMattress.com. Matthew is a skilled blogger who has a passion for creativity.