Dear Readers,
Thank you for coming here!
2020 was a year of losses for me.
However, I did gain valuable things too.
And if I am to rank them, “getting up early” is definitely among the top.
Nowadays, 6:30am is when I get up most of the days (we all get lazy sometimes).
And I just could not help noticing the pleasant feeling that my days are so much longer now and I can afford not to rush.
When I have work, I can start early and complete more. When I do not, I can write and read.
I feel more in control of my own life.
And what is even more amazing is that it does not stop there.
As you will see in this article, “getting up early” could be all you need to change yourself for the better.
I provide two arguments for the above statement, one logical and one emotional.
1.Logical argument
In my previous article “The One Definition to Elevate Your “Strategy” For Success”, I elaborated the definition of Strategy:
Strategy = Clear Goal + Specific Point for Optimization
And the key is to identify correctly the “Specific Point for Optimization”.
For a person who wants to make a positive change to his/her life, I believe “Getting up early” will be that Point for most.
“Getting up early” meets the 2 requirements for the Point outlined in the article:
- “Getting up early” is definitely “something we can actually improve given the current resources” as long as we take actions.
- “Getting up early” is “something doing which will create a positive flywheel”. For the least, it gives us more time to complete our plan for the day, which reinforces the “Getting up early” ritual.
Sticking to it for the long run sets us up for pleasant surprises ahead.
2.Emotional argument
“Getting up early” creates a “Superior” feeling.
It gives us the feelings of being “in control” when we do not need to skip breakfast and anxiously wait for the bus or taxi to come because we need to rush to office.
It also give us the time to do “extra” staff in life, such as side hustle, reading, spending more time with family.
And that “Superior” feeling is enforced when you see your peers rushing and not having any other income apart from their jobs.
And that “Superior” feeling is a significant motivator for us to do everything well.
We will make our material more logical by putting in that extra chart.
We will make our speech more affective by practicing one more time.
We will walk in the meeting with more confidence by reviewing the key information again.
We will build our side hustle to a significant income stream by investing a bit more time every day.
… …
We are what we believe. If we believe we are “Superior”, we will become so. Just be mindful not to lose your footing in the process, as I kind of did.
If you want to get up early but have difficulties achieving it, below are some tips that can help.
- Sleep early. Ensure sufficient sleep so that “getting up early” will not hurt your health and efficiency. I personally need at least 6 hours.
- Follow the sleep cycle. We are easier to wake up and feel energetic at the end of a sleep cycle. Researches suggest a sleep cycle is 90 minutes. So 6 hours are 4 cycles.
- Put your alarm clock away. Make sure we cannot turn off our alarm clock without leaving our beds. Once we leave our beds, it is easy to get up.
- Plan something you enjoy doing for the morning. For the sake of forming the habit, it is ok to get up early to watch a movie or play games, though it is not advisable for the long term. Just make sure not to plan something you hate.
- Take a phased approach. Do not try to get up two hours before your normal timing tomorrow. Take a phase approach. Once you are comfortable with 15 mins earlier, go for 30 mins.
- Do not be too hard on yourself. There is no need to get up early everyday. We all get lazy sometimes. Moreover, we may not feel well sometimes. Allow yourself more sleep when you need it.
- Reward ourselves when we reach target. Life is hard enough. Be good to ourselves and be a self-motivator.
Hope we all get up early and achieve positive changes!
Till next time!
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