6 Morning Habits to Create the Success You Want

We all know that age-old question: “are you a morning-person or a night-person?” Well, for some of us, the idea itself is absurd, either because you’re an all-day person or a living zombie trying to get through the day; no matter how long it may seems.

Some of the biggest downfalls in our lives are brought about because of the concept of time. We either have too much of it that we’re not quite sure how to maximise it or more commonly, we have way too little of it – causing us distress and anxiety in our personal and professional life.

Some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, business creators, creatives, scholars and politicians have vouched to the early morning wake up – the self-help book The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life by Robin Sharma is an ode to the magical moments of the morning.

Tim Cook, David Cush, Kim Jenner and even Michelle Obama; wake up somewhere in the realm on night and day; between 04:00 to 05:00 every day. They spend this time exercising, meditating and focusing on themselves. Jordon Gross goes further into the morning habit routine with his self-help book Getting COMFY; highlighting that Calmness, Openness, Movement, Funny, You are the 5 steps to achieving the perfect morning wake up.

Here you will discover 6 morning habits adopted by some of the world’s most successful individuals; as told by Hal Elrod in his life lesson book titled The Six Morning Habits of High Performers:

1. Start off with Silence

Silence is golden; it’s a valuable moment in our day that allows us to collect our thoughts, strengthen mindfulness and realign by reflecting on our goals.

Silence lowers cortisol in the blood, a stress releasing chemical that limits our focus and clear mindset. Silence and reflection allow us to angle our days with determination and a positive attitude.

This elevated consciousness will set your day off on the right track.

2. Affirm your commitments

An affirmation is recognition of your goals, your target and your perspective on life. Elrod describes the practice of affirmations as a reconnection with your commitments.

It’s not about deliberating who you are or what you want but focusing on how to be a better version of you based on your commitments.

Whether it’s your family or your career, set focus on your day by affirming your priorities, honing in on your passions and building productivity in your daily approaches to life.

3. Success needs to be visualised

Creating a mental picture of your future is a motivating way of planning your way towards success. Use your morning to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally is what Elrod recommends aspiring market leaders to practice daily:

From the uncomfortable, awkward situations at work to the moments of pride and happiness in your family life; prepare for these occasions by visualising your day; it’s ups and downs in your morning routine.

Tasks such as this should be qualitative in nature; highlight the results in your visualisations this will allow you to worry less and achieve tasks easily.

4. Move around in the morning

Get your blood pumping in the early hours of the morning. Yoga is a great way to practice mindfulness and stretching your body for 20-30 minutes a day could stimulate blood flow and improve concentration.

It’s important to note that your morning movement is not about fitness, exercise and burning calories – it’s about breaking away from the dormant state, awakening the senses and sparking the creativity needed for a fruitful day.

There’s no need to overdo it if exercise is not your thing; go on a bike ride in nature, go for a jog while listening to a podcast. Find your rhythm.

5. Give your brain some nourishment

Reading helps to activate the thinking process and jumpstart the engines in your brain. Reading books, short excerpts or resourceful blogs gives your mind the fuel it needs to tackle the day.

Finding the style of literature that resonates with you might take time, but once you find the right source of information to motivate you, you won’t be able to get enough.

Start off with small goals, one book at a time; until it becomes an ongoing challenge – maybe a book a month, or maybe even one a week.

6. Prioritise by writing things down

For many people visualising their gold mentally is not as enforcing as writing things down. Journaling is a great way of setting tasks, highlighting priorities and noting down important information or reminders.

To-do lists, KPIs, meeting agendas and other time sensitive details should always be noted and left as a visual reminder to egg you on in the day.

A Gratitude Journal could also be included in your list of priorities. Recognising what you’ve achieved and accomplished in your day, your week, your month is what will push you to achieve more in weeks to come.

Always remember to create contingency plans in your day where emergencies, last-minute changes and alterations in your day can be accounted for. This way you’re always ready to react without causing too much stress in your day.

Your mornings are the most valuable part of your day. They’re packed with potential, a start to a whole new day and an opportunity to make up for any areas you may feel you’re struggling in.

Whether you start your morning with a fresh brew of coffee, a walk with your dog, or browse through your favourite online news portal – follow a routine, keep your habits consistent and try not to bite off more than you can chew. The key to success is taking things in your stride and adding on new goals as you gain confidence in your practices.

Learning how to make the most of your mornings will fill your day with confidence, focus, determination and eventually success. Focus on your commitments, build your mindfulness and develop healthy morning habits for success, one day at a time.