5 Life Lessons From The Morning Routines Of Successful People

[dynamo]

(dynamo says -- you do not have to believe that success is defined by the people noted as examples in this article. I think the merit of the underlying message is what prompted me to post this.)

Scott O’Reilly - June 5, 2018


“Opportunities don’t happen. You create them,” says photographer Chris Grosser. That proactive attitude often separates highly successful people from those of us who are forever falling short of our dreams.

Yes, luck is sometimes a factor in who rises to the top. But in the vast majority of cases, thought leaders, pioneering entrepreneurs and the mavericks who change the world happen to share a number of factors in common. Invariably, an early-morning routine is key to their high-achievement. Here are a number of rules that the “best and the brightest” seem to apply consistently:

• They tend to be early risers.
• Early morning exercise is part of their routine.
• Setting aside quiet-time for focused or meditative thought is very common.
• Self-improvement by reading books, newspapers or magazines is typical. This usually takes the form of biographies, history, current events or self-help content (not entertainment).
• They think proactively about their goals and strategies for achieving them.

The importance of being an early riser
Waking up early is one of the most frequent characteristics highly successful people share. Undoubtedly, there are some very creative night owls too, but rising several hours before the workday begins gives high-achievers the quality time they seem to thrive on. As motivational author Tom Corley explains, “Getting up at five in the morning to tackle the top three things you want to accomplish in your day allows you to regain control of your life. It gives you a sense of confidence that you, indeed, direct your life.”

To become a high-achiever, study the morning routines of these successful people:

Oprah Winfrey
One of the most famous people with a morning routine is Oprah Winfrey. The famed talk show hostess, author and actress has built a media empire that’s worth close to $3 billion. But she likes to start her day before the sun comes up by offering herself up to something larger than herself. She does this by creating a sacred space that includes lighted candles, inspirational pictures and daily words (like “love life”) that she can focus on before she goes out into the world. You can see Oprah describe her early-morning habits for yourself in this cool video:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=YRwa260xkKA

Barack Obama
Most people have pretty demanding jobs with hefty responsibilities. But few of us can say that the fate of the world depends on us. Imagine, then, the physical stamina and mental toughness you need to have in order to be a world leader like the president of the United States.
The 44th president, Barack Obama, had a simple morning regimen that he used every day to prepare him for the rigors of his office. According to his aides, Obama liked to wake up two hours before he needed to. Starting the day at 5 a.m. allowed him to fit in 45-minutes of exercise that included equal amounts of a cardio workout and strength conditioning.
Obama also famously skipped coffee in favor of orange juice, water or green tea. Although caffeine has many health benefits, he felt that consuming low-caffeine or non-caffeinated beverages helped keep him hydrated, which left him fresher throughout the day.
Not sweating the small stuff was another part of Obama’s morning routine. He explained his rationale for minimizing attention to inessential matters by saying, “I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.”

Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss is a best-selling author, podcast host and a student of the tools, habits and techniques highly successful people use to stay disciplined. Over the years, he’s interviewed hundreds of high-achievers about their morning routines. As you’d expect, he’s incorporated many of the lessons he’s picked up into own life too.
Ferriss begins his day by borrowing a page from Admiral William McRaven, who emphasizes the importance of starting each day with a simple task. As the Naval leader explains, “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another.”
Ferriss also stresses the importance of morning mindfulness. By devoting 20 minutes to meditation, Ferriss believes he’s honing mental skills that allow him to approach the world more flexibly and creatively. As he explains, “So meditation, or mindfulness practice, it’s really about, to me, decreasing emotional reactivity so you can proactively create your day and create your life; versus, just being a walking reflex that sometimes screws up.”
Following that, Ferriss likes to fit in these activities before he really gets going:

• Have a light breakfast. He’s particularly fond of organic black bean chili because it’s high in fiber and protein, but low in fat.
• He enjoys what he calls “Titanium Tea,” which is a mixture of several loose-leaf teas including black and green as well as the spices turmeric and ginger. To this blend, he also adds two tablespoons of high-quality organic coconut oil to boost his metabolism and improve fat burning.
• Ferriss spends ten minutes journal writing, which he finds cathartic because it helps him clear his thoughts and focus on what he’s grateful for.
• He gets in at least 20 minutes of exercise.

Richard Branson
Richard Branson is one of the world’s most iconic entrepreneurs. In addition to founding Virgin Atlantic, one of the UK’s leading airlines, Branson also is responsible for Virgin Galactic, a spaceflight company that aims to be one of the first private ventures to make commercial space travel a reality.
Like many high-performers, Branson believes in getting up early and exercising. As he explains, “No matter where I am in the world, I try to routinely wake up at around 5 am. By rising early, I’m able to do some exercise and spend time with my family, which puts me in a great mind frame before getting down to business.”
Kitesurfing, swimming and tennis are among Branson’s favorite early morning activities. In Branson’s words, “being fit and healthy, there’s nothing like the endorphins from being fit, and the incredible endorphin rush that goes with that.”

Lessons from high-performers
You may have noticed that five factors keep popping up in the lives of the super successful. They’re not exactly a secret, but most people either fail to appreciate them or apply them. Here are the key ingredients that ultra-achievers employ.

1. Wake up early
The morning is when most people will be at their freshest, most creative and energetic. There will also be fewer distractions while everyone else is sleeping. Use this portion of the day to be proactive and productive.

2. Exercise
Getting your blood pumping early will oxygenate your brain and help boost your cognitive powers, metabolism and energy resources throughout the day.

3. Practice mindfulness
Meditation, prayer and journal writing can help calm your mind so that you can respond more creatively and imaginatively to events later in the day.

4. Eat a good breakfast
Fiber and nutrient-rich foods will provide a steady supply of energy throughout the day. Stay away from sugary and processed foods so that you can avoid blood-glucose spikes that cause feelings of mental and physical fatigue.

5. Set aside the small stuff
Zero in on your larger agenda. Use the morning to identify your dreams and map out your most important goals. This should be your “big picture” time where you focus on whether the objectives reflect the core of your being.Remember this quote from Steve Jobs, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today?”
— Scott O’Reilly

[Bill Ryan]

Also see Stephen Covey's very famous

• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Here's a VERY concise summary. (Probably too concise!)

INDEPENDENCE

The first three Habits are about moving from dependence to independence (i.e. self-mastery):

1 - Be proactive

The concept of Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern. Work from the center of your influence and constantly work to expand it. Don't sit and wait in a reactive mode, waiting for problems to happen (Circle of Concern) before taking action.

2 - Begin with the end in mind

Envision what you want in the future so you can work and plan towards it. Understand how people make decisions in their life. To be effective you need to act based on principles and constantly review your mission statement. Are you - right now - who you want to be? What do I have to say about myself? How do you want to be remembered? If Habit 1 advises to change your life to act and be proactive, Habit 2 advises that you are the programmer! Grow and stay humble.

3 - Put first things first

The difference between Leadership and Management. Leadership in the outside world begins with personal vision and personal leadership. Distinguish between what is IMPORTANT, and what is URGENT. Priority should be the following order:

1. Important and Urgent
2. Important and not Urgent
3. Not Important and Urgent
4. Not Important and not Urgent

If Habit 2 advises that you are the programmer, Habit 3 advises: write the program. Become a leader! Keep personal integrity: always be aware of what you say vs. what you do.

INTERDEPENDENCE

The next three habits talk about Interdependence (e.g. working with others):

4 - Think win-win

Genuine feelings for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Value and respect people by understanding a "win" for all is ultimately a better long-term resolution than if only one person in the situation had gotten their way. 'Think Win-Win' isn't about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique. It's a character-based code for human interaction and collaboration.

5 - Seek first to understand, then to be understood

Use empathetic listening to genuinely understand a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and be open to being influenced by you. This creates an atmosphere of caring and positive problem solving.

Habit 5 is greatly embraced in the Greek philosophy represented by 3 words:

1. Ethos is your personal credibility. It's the trust that you inspire, your 'Emotional Bank Account'.
2. Pathos is the empathic side. It's the alignment with the emotional trust of another person's communication.
3. Logos is the logic, the reasoning part of the presentation.

The order is important: ethos, pathos, logos -- your character, and your relationships, and then the logic of your presentation.

6 - Synergize

Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals that no one could have done alone.

CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT

The final Habit is that of continuous improvement in both your personal and interpersonal spheres of influence.

7 - Sharpen the Saw

Balance and renew your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable, long-term, effective lifestyle. Emphasize exercise for physical renewal, with good spiritual activity (meditation, yoga, etc) and good reading for mental renewal. And also: service to society for spiritual renewal.

[HaveBlue]

https://www.danpena.co.uk/33-secrets-of-super-success/

[Hervé]

MindMatters: Self-Help Without The Shallowness: The Hidden Depths of Stephen R. Covey's 7 Habits

Corey Schink, Elan Martin, Harrison Koehli Sott.net
Sat, 12 Oct 2019 00:00 UTC

© SOTT

It's the book you've heard about for years, but probably never read - especially if you have an aversion to shallow self-help books promising success, influence, power and money. But Stephen R. Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is no shallow self-help book. It's actually a book about virtue - the development of character, and the timeless principles governing true success in life for as long as there has been history.

Today on MindMatters we discuss some of the overall themes of the book, Covey's unique but universal worldview, and some of the great stories he shares to really make his points hit home.

Running Time: 01:20:33

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-ZwP9JdIWxM

Download: MP3 — 73.7 MB

[Ernie Nemeth]

Not once, in all my life, did I ever even consider planning anything to do with my future. I didn't need to because I was special. Good things would just come to me in time, I thought.

I rejected all aspirations as futile and considered life nothing but a chore to get through. This in context of a society I do not feel a part of, but forced to perform unnatural acts as the price of admission. No one here is trustworthy, honest, or aware so all ambition is suspect, including my own.

But I did have childish and vague ideas about what I would get up to in various epochs of my life. Some came true accidentally, others did not. Not one thing happened on purpose, however.

To those who are young I would advocate the information in the op. Start now on your plan. And a word of caution, don't forget to smell the flowers...

Life is short. Time is precious. Make sure you spend time wisely.

Don't just expect things will happen as they should - they won't.

Use your will to bend fate in your favor. No one else will.