I Have Found the Key to Becoming an Early Riser

I hated waking early as a kid! Didn’t we all?

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It was the worst time of the day for me waking at 5am to go to a school I hated or 7am to go to church, practicing a religion I did not believe in.

But I did not despise waking early just for those reasons, it was also because I was not a morning person. Even if I went to bed early enough and got a full night’s rest, I always felt tired and demotivated to start my day early.

This continued through my teenage years and even into adulthood. I generally go to bed around 1 or 2am, which means if I want to get a good night’s sleep, I will be waking around 9 or 10am. By this time it is midmorning and the day is in full swing. Wall Street has opened and birds are having brunch after a lot of early morning chirping.

The time just before dawn contains the most energy of all hours of the day. This has helped me become an early riser and an early doer…. When I wake to see that it’s light out already, I feel the world has started without me.
~Terri Guillemets

This changed for a while when I had my business however, and I had to resort to early morning risings to get the job done. Getting out of a warm, cosy bed to hit the frigid winter streets of NYC by 5am. Unlike going to school or church, this provided a different feeling. I was working on my dream, doing something I was passionate about. Hence, I felt as if my early rising was helping me achieve something and not leaving me deprived. When my business closed last year, I resorted to late morning starts to my days again, leaving me less time in the day to get things done.

Over the past few weeks however, I have started to rise early again, because I am working on a new project that has me filled with excitement and passion. Hence, I realized this trend…

The Ahah Moment!

Whenever I am doing what I want, following my dreams, and accomplishing my goals, waking early is not an issue. It is almost like I have a built in alarm every morning that says “Get the fuck up at 6:30am.”

But…take away that motivation, that drive, and that enthusiasm and replace it with the despair of an unfulfilling 9-5 job for example, and I am left feeling depressed, stressed and demotivated. Which, in turn affects how I feel about getting out of bed in the mornings.

Therefore…

I have come to the conclusion that no matter how many articles you read on “the best ways to start your day” or “how to become a morning person,” if your day will not be filled with something you are passionate about, you will resent mornings and worship day ends.

Your mornings will be empty and gloomy even on beautiful day. You will feel lost, not because you are sick, tired, or broke, but because you are doing something you hate. You are wasting your days doing a job you despise, associating with negative people, not enjoying and appreciating the simple things in life, or being too fearful of taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Conclusion

The key to becoming an early riser even on a damn Sunday first starts with passion and enthusiasm. An excitement about life, achieving your goals, and pushing your boundaries to reach greatness. Not by drinking coffee, going to bed on time (true passion does not have a bed time) or exercising. That is a load of crap!

Find something you are zealous about, and even if you are the worst morning person ever, you will see how quickly that changes.

Are you an early riser, and if you are, why?

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One Love,

Dave Anthony

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