When my wife and I were first married, it wasn’t long before I learned that waking up at 5:45 AM, and every step after that, seemed to be programmed into her DNA – and I was not too fond of it.
Over the years, I had grown to dislike mornings. Mostly because I found myself doing one of two things; the hustle and bustle of the daily grind or what the self-help gurus were telling me I “should” be doing with my mornings.
Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t.
My wife, on the other hand, doesn’t do that. Unlike most folks in the world that are caught up in the drama of life, she operates with a “figure out what works, keep doing it, never think about it again” mindset.
If I’m being honest, as a widely creative, spontaneous, and go-for-it kind of guy, Joi’s mindless persistence drives me crazy. But, since there is no way to change her ways, I have no choice but to find my way.
Besides, as a guy who has worked with tens of thousands of successful people, I’ve seen the same behavior so many times there is no denying that a simple and constantly repeating morning routine is where success is born. After all, the early bird gets the worm!
But that still leaves us to figure out what our routine should be? For me, that boiled down to one simple question—
What’s the most important thing I can do that will make everything else possible?
Now, I’ve found when I ask a question like that, the answer comes flying at me like a brick falling off a roof and hitting me right in the forehead – and it happens fast. I may not like the answer, but sometimes the truth hurts.
If you want to lose weight and get in shape, the most important thing is to exercise.
If you want to make money, your most important thing might be to invest.
If you want to write a book, your most important thing is to write.
In my case, I have legacy dreams for myself, my family, my business, and you. To make that happen, the most important thing I can do is write in the morning. Once I made that decision I…
Wake up, get out of bed, shower, and dress, eat a quick breakfast, sit at my desk, and write for the next three hours. No distractions. No questions asked.
So, how do I get everything else done?
Frankly, once you take care of what is most important to you, there isn’t much else. Still, when the time comes, I ask myself what the next most important thing that will make everything else possible – and do it.