Your alarm goes off and you open your eyes. Slowly. Then, what do you do? Your secret to success starts with that very moment you set your feet on the ground. Mornings really do set the tone for the rest of the day—if you start your day off on the right foot, the rest of your day will follow suit.
There are some mornings where you feel super dialed in ready to tackle the day with everything you’ve got. And then there are some mornings where you sneak into the office through the backdoor feeling less than stellar. It happens.
But nothing is better than having a productive day. If you’re like most people, you may not be a morning person and that’s okay. We’re not suggesting you leap out of bed with a smile on your face while singing and skipping all before the sun comes up, but the secret to success does happen during those early morning hours.
Mornings Matter. Learn how to have one of those mornings where everything goes right. Your coffee tastes better, there’s no traffic, you wake up fresh as a daisy and you feel like you could conquer the world.
Here’s Why Your Secret to Success Starts in the Morning
Make Your Bed
When you make it a habit of making your bed first thing in the morning, not only will your room feel more organized, it will help to train your mind to want to get other things done right off the bat.
Pause & Be Present
This may sound very Buddha-like, but this secret to success will help you center yourself and be fully present. Take a moment to be in the moment to make sure you manage the day ahead instead of the day managing you.
Repeat Affirmations
Those first 5-20 minutes of your day can determine your mood, energy and happiness for the rest of the day. Affirmations will set you up for success. An affirmation is a simple but powerful statement that will strengthen the connection between your unconscious mind and your conscious mind. Compile a list of your favorite affirmations that fit your core values and beliefs and read them aloud every morning.
Drink Water with Lemon
Put down the coffee first thing in the morning and reach for water with lemon instead. Drinking lemon water in the morning rehydrates your body, kick-starts your metabolism, helps you feel more alert and spikes your energy levels both mentally and physically. Lemon water will give you a steady, natural energy buzz that can last the whole day.
Bust a Move
When you wake up, the last thing you may feel like doing is exercising. But breaking a sweat in the morning will kick your day into overdrive. Exercise releases endorphins, giving your brain a natural high and a powerful energy boost.
Trello shared what exercises some of the most successful people start their mornings with:
- Kevin Kruse does a daily 20-minute HIIT session on the treadmill.
- Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square, jogs every morning.
- Howard Schulz, CEO of Starbucks, bikes first thing.
- Congresswoman and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi power walks before she sits down to work.
- Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk works out with his personal trainer.
- Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary gets on his elliptical or exercise bike.
- Starwood Hotels CEO Frits van Paaschen runs 10 miles every morning.
The secret to success at work and in your life may be simpler than you think. With a little shift in how you lay out your day, you can reap the benefits of a well-orchestrated, intentional morning.
Pivot Your Insurance Agency Towards Sustainable Growth Are you an insurance agent who feels that your agency is stuck? Is your team grinding new leads each month yet your agency never seems to grow? Client Focus has worked with thousands of agents over the past 15 years just like you. Our purpose is to help your insurance agency pivot onto a path to sustainable growth.
