Growing up, I used to hate waking up early. My dad would often leave the door open to allow the outside light into my warm dark bedroom.
Like most kids (and some adults), I hated rising early. I would actually get up and close my bedroom door and head back to bed so I could get 10 more minutes of peaceful sleep.
My dad would mention to me that if I didn’t wake up, my teacher would be at my door and wake me up personally. This scared the living crap out of me, and it often got me going. That is until, I realized they had laws and stuff preventing such an occurrence.
At this point, my dad was running out of ways to wake me up. He had to get creative. Then one day he threatened to splash water on my face if I didn’t wake up. I never believed him because I learned the teacher method was a hoax so assumed this was too. Let me tell you he did it, and it pissed me off so well I couldn’t go back to sleep!
My dad’s efforts had taught me to wake up early and it stuck with me for many years, never again being an issue…
Until I started high school.
Those days I would stay up super late on a regular basis which made waking up early again – become a nightmare. Luckily I discovered coffee, but in my caffeine fuelled morning rush I would skip breakfast. Next thing I knew I was craving junk food by 9 am, and couldn’t sit still in class if my life had depended on it!
So now, my good sleeping habits were dissolved – and I had picked up some bad habits like skipping breakfast and getting addicted to coffee…
I remember one summer where I would again routinely stay up late after many nights of partying. Waking up at 2 pm the following day became a normal thing for me. I began to feel depressed and I couldn’t figure out why. That is, until I realized that each day had less and less sunlight than I was used to. I had wasted a half day’s sunlight sleeping through my day and was feeling guilty for it! Not to mention the pounding headaches I would get from oversleeping that I just couldn’t get rid of.
It wasn’t until I started working a full time job that things really started to change.
Work started at 6:30 am. That meant waking up at 4, which meant that I’d have to be in bed by 8.
If I strayed away from my new sleeping schedule, I’d be punished the next day from a body that just wanted to drag ass.
Fortunately, my job has changed me from a night hawk into an early riser.
Looking back, I’m grateful for that.
It’s true that waking up early has its perks, theres no mistake about that.
WAKING UP EARLY HELPS YOU KEEP GREAT HABITS.
“EARLY TO BED AND EARLY TO RISE, MAKES A MAN HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE.” – BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Waking up early will keep you on track and help you keep other good habits too.
However, you can’t wake up early without going to bed early first. It’s not an easy start but once you get into the habit it will keep you in a routine. Success simply comes from many small habits that you do every day – consistently over time.
HERE ARE SOME BENEFITS YOU MIGHT NOTICE FROM WAKING UP EARLY:
1.) You’ll Feel Like You Have a Huge Head Start on the World While Everyone Else is Sleeping.
It also gives you some valuable time to focus. That can be pretty hard to come by these days. Dedicating that me time to first thing in the morning is perfect because there’s just nobody awake to bother you. There’s nobody calling you, nobody sending you text messages – theres no distractions… It gives you a timed window that you know will come to an end, which forces you to use your time wisely. This will come to strengthen your time management skills.
2.) Waking Up Early in the Morning Gives You More Drive.
It’s scientifically proven that seeing the sun come up in the morning releases chemicals that awaken you and make you want to get shit done.
3.) Waking Up Early Can Actually Help You Adopt a Healthier Diet.
It will eliminate the desire to eat out on junk food late at night. Why? Because you simply aren’t awake that late. It also forces you to cook and eat cleaner at home because there’s little options to eat out very early in the morning. Let’s be real, eating out isn’t the healthiest option neither is it the cheapest.
4.) Going to Bed Early Eliminates the Desire to Want to Play or to Waste Time Leaving You More Time for Productivity.
When you wake up early, you’ll also want to go to bed and fall asleep early. When you are tired and sleepy you are going to sleep. Nothing will stop you (especially after a kick ass day). There’s also less temptation to want to go out with friends at night. This means you’re also less likely going to get yourself into trouble with the wrong crowd drinking and fighting at the bar.
5.) You’ll Wake Up Everyday Having More Energy Than You Are Used to.
Going to bed at the same time nightly means staying on schedule with your sleeping habits. Sleep seems underrated but it’s super important for your body. Your body heals itself while you sleep, and fights off infections. If you hate being sick, then try sleeping more.
GREAT HABITS KEEP YOU DISCIPLINED.
Waking up early takes discipline. Discipline is the biggest key to success. It grants you freedom by pushing you to get the things done that are required to build the life you dream of.
It’s ironic because discipline seems like a chore. Wouldn’t you feel more free knowing you can go to bed and wake up whenever you want? Sure. But then, you’d just be sabotaging yourself and preventing those goals from being reached.
The truth is that staying disciplined keeps you consistent with doing what you need to do NOW. Motivation will just give you a sudden urge, or a boost of emotion to get you going. I love that feeling, the sudden excitement when a new idea comes to me or when I’m filled with a desire to do something. Unfortunately, the motivation doesn’t last. However discipline does.
You won’t always feel it. Some days you’ll feel like garbage, you’ll feel tired, unmotivated and lazy. So just push yourself. Not everyone feels motivated or great all the time. But I promise you you’ll feel better after doing whatever it is you need to do. Writing this article took me many, many drafts to get the final product, and there were a few times when I just wasn’t feeling it.
But you know what the beauty of it is? You just need to get the ball rolling. Eventually, you’ll get into momentum and it’ll be hard to stop. Thats a great feeling!
DISCIPLINE MAKES YOU SUCCESSFUL.
If you are searching for the keys to success, the one simple habit you need to do is to wake up early. Waking up early will help you keep good habits like adopting a healthy diet while saving money by eating out less. It will help you manage your time more wisely by going out less at night when you should be doing something productive. It will keep your sleep schedule in check allowing your body to get the sleep it needs to be healthy. These are just some of the short term benefits that will come from this. More importantly, you’ll learn to be DISCIPLINED, this is what’s really going to propel you towards success.
So ask yourself this… WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Do you want more free time?
Great, then learn better time management skills. Say NO to the things you want to do – things that you know will waste your time.
Do you want a beach body?
Great, then eat clean, stay consistent with your workouts, and get enough sleep.
Do you want to build your own business and be financially free?
Then you need to have the DISCIPLINE required to get shit done!
Until the next one.
Your friend,
Jamie.
P.S. If you are really having trouble with adopting a new sleep schedule, and you just simply aren’t tired enough to fall asleep at first… then I have a couple of solutions.
A cup of Chamomile tea before bed might do the trick. It’s a natural sedative that has been used for thousands of years.
Or you can try a small dose of Melatonin before bed. It’s used by travelers for reducing jet lag in between time zones and can be found over the counter. Melatonin mimics the natural hormone secretion your body releases at night that makes you sleepy.
