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10 Things Successful People Do in the Morning
I am guessing that just like me, you’re intrigued by what successful people like Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates would do early in the Morning. I bet that you’re a late riser and you want to achieve something better in life.
You believe that you deserve more credit for the things you have done in your life. So by getting up early and emulating some of your heroes, you just might achieve the successes that they had attained throughout the years of getting up early.
According to time management expert Laura Vanderkam, mornings hold the key to a more productive life, which in turn is the essence of success.
Well, this guide will help you to rethink your morning habits and to jump start your life so you can achieve more in a day:
#1. Reflection: Live Each Day As If it Were Your last…
When Steve was just 17, he read a quote that went something like:
“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
― Steve Jobs
It made an impression on him, and ever since then, for the past 33 years, he has done just that. So ask yourself when you look in the mirror tomorrow morning, “if today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
Successful individuals, especially those who had really struggled hard to reach their goals are extremely grateful for the things they have achieved in their lives. They always acknowledge the presence of the lord that had guided them throughout their journey to success. This is true with the Word’s best footballer; Lionel Messi.
Jinky Pacquiao, the loving wife of one of the most celebrated boxers in the world, Manny Pacquio shared in an interview.
“My life now is so far and different from my life in the past. We can buy the things that we want, we can eat what we want and we can provide for our kids the best things in life. What keeps me grounded? I remain in debt to the Lord for all the blessings that we received. I never forget to thank him for what we have right now. He gave all of these things to us and He can take all of this anytime He wants. I just pray hard that he remains to entrust us with the blessings we are enjoying right now.”
You reap what you sow and when you do, always stay grounded.
#2. Start the Day Early
Successful individuals did not attain their ambitions in life with just mere luck. Everything goes down to hard work. Hard working people are the individuals who arrive at work the earliest and sometimes they are even the ones who leave the last. If we manage to value time as much as these people do, we will definitely be on the right path to a success.
In 1999, Steve Jobs said to TIME:
“I’m a good morning person. I like it early in the morning. I wake up six-ish.
Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO is also known to be the first person at the office and the one that leaves the last. He also sends business e-mails as early as 4:30 AM. And the bottom line here is that he does this every single day just like Steve and he does it without complaining. An ideal schedule every aspiring individual should follow.
“I get up in the morning at 5.30am and come into what must be the nicest office in the world. It’s a fantastic time for reflection and thinking about things. I come up with more ideas here than I do in the day-to-day running back home,”
Said Branson in a superb interview with FORTUNE magazine.
#3. Focus on your Goal lists
“I believe in goals. It’s never a bad thing to have a dream. If something is really what you want to do, just do it. Whatever your goal.”
Success is not a onetime jackpot thing wherein if you hit it, it’s done. Success is synonymous to continuity. The challenge for every successful individual is how they can sustain or take it to the next level.
Successful people have an actual list of goals because they believe that growing and improving is the essence of life.
Let’s take a look at what time Branson wakes up to pack everything into his busy day.
If Akio Morita, Sony’s founder, stopped after developing Japan’s first tape recorder, there would be no flat screen televisions, handheld games and other high-end gadgets and appliances for us to enjoy today.
So I guess you can come to a conclusion that Goal-setting matters, and writing down the acts and dreams that you intend to accomplish each day will spur you on to reach closer to your hopes and dreams.
#4. Eating Healthy and Working out
The body, the soul and the mind, when in good condition will produce wonderful results. Whether we’re successful or not, we should always take good care of our health or we might never have a clean bill of health to enjoy it.
Gerry Laybourne of Oxygen, Robert Iger of Disney, Tim Cook of Apple and Paul Polman of Unilever are just a few of the CEO’s who religiously takes a break from work to take care of their health.
They get up early everyday to face the challenge of being the captains of the biggest and brightest companies in the world, yet they still managed to find time to hit the gym and to embrace a healthy lifestyle.
#5. Stay Informed and Updated
Elon Musk Making morning phone calls from his SpaceX office
Photo: Elon Musk via Business Insider
Knowing what’s new and what’s on the news would allow us to stay ahead of the game. Whatever market you may be in, making your morning phone calls and replying emails is part and parcel of staying informed and updated about your businesses progress.
I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.—Elon Musk
Staying current is a company’s big edge over its competitors. Successful individuals are always on top of everything, from the latest news and trends. Keeping one step ahead or even more keeps you ahead of the game.
I do love email. Wherever possible I try to communicate asynchronously. I’m really good at email.—Elon Musk
#6. Spend some Quality Time with your Love Ones
Did you know that CEO’s are one of the most romantic and expressive individuals. Work really takes most of their time, so as much as possible; they start the day showing gratitude and affection to their partners and children before going to work.
Irwin Simon, CEO of Hain Celestial Group manages to walk his dog and spend quality time with his kids before leaving for work. Now that’s one good dad to exemplify!
#7. Manage Your Time
Time is the very essence that makes up this universe.
If you are one of those who always grunts that 24 hours is always not enough. This one is for you:
“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.”– Zig- Ziglar
Every day, as they sip their favourite cup of coffee while watching the news, successful people normally divides his hours of the day according to the things he needs to do for the day. It all goes back to starting the day early.
If you are one of those that still complains about the lack of time, the only thing I can tell you is to make time! You know what they say:
If you examine a butterfly according to the laws of aerodynamics, it shouldn’t be able to fly. But the butterfly doesn’t know that, so it flies.” – Vincent Eades
That’s why Andrea Jung of AVON products and Howard Schultz of Starbucks wakes up early every day. They start the day early to find time for the things they do besides work. It’s the habit of doing so, not knowing so…
#8. Connecting with People
Connecting with people like your loved ones or a business partner should be done at the start of the day. Most of us already have a routine at work. We even plan the things that we do ahead. To respect the schedule of others, we should communicate with them as early as possible.
No wonder Apple’s CEO Tim Cook sends e-mails at 4:30AM. He just happens to acknowledge that his colleagues and business associates have priorities and plans for the day like he does. The earlier he communicates with them; the most likely he gets them prioritized.
#9. Take action and Execute, Execute, Execute!
Successful people avoid planning late. Every morning, when they wake up, they already have a plan to execute. All they have to do is to adjust their plan according to the challenges of the day. Planning is nothing without execution.
“Don’t start the day until you have it finished.” – Jim Rohn
It’s very important for us to plan our days before setting out into them.
Here’s what I do:
1) The night before, determine the things I need to accomplish
2) I get a pen and paper and write those things down.
3) I will Put a tick next to the things on my list as I get them done
4) The items on my list that hasn’t had the tick, I make it my mission to tick it on the next day!
5) And finally, I take action, you should start TONIGHT!
It’s that simple! Plan your day before starting it, and you’ll accomplish a whole lot more than you would’ve had you not planned it. It works every time!
Former Peugeot General Manager Jean-Martin Folz would finish a briefing summary in minutes just after arriving at office. He does not waste his employee’s time by keeping them waiting.
He also knows how to use his time wisely. He even converted his car, a Renault Espace, to an office to be able to start working while commuting.
#10. They Motivate
Successful individuals see themselves as successful if and only if they manage to motivate and help people reach their goals as well.
The youngest NBA CEO Brett Yormark is at the office as early as 4:30AM. From there, he sends out motivational emails to his team and colleagues. Starting the day by inspiring others is an act of a successful individual who knows that positivity is a reflection of oneself.
Never be surprised to see yourself at the pinnacle of your wildest dreams when you start changing your morning habits.
When you lead a life like one of these great individuals, you will keep doing it long after your time on earth is over. It’s Life well spent! J