Thread: Getting up early and working.

Originally Posted by Runum

if you don't start seeing opportunity rather than limitations.

Opportunity is about PERCEPTION: In the 1950s, a growing shoe company sent representatives to Africa to see if that region represented a market for their shoes. One representative went down the west coast, and another down the east coast. Both sent messages back to head office. One read, "No business opportunities here, no one wears shoes!" The other representative stated, "Lots of business opportunities here, no one wears shoes!"

Originally Posted by Skys

because I pretty much already believe that I am a failure.

We all have failures; the difference is how we choose to interpret and adapt to that failure as it doesn't become a badge of our identity.

Originally Posted by Skys

Most people around me are happy, slowlane people.

Nothing wrong with being around "happy" people, even if they are Slowlaners.

I don't think that it's critical to get up early. I do, sometimes, but it doesn't make me more productive. I only get up early because I'm excited to get up and start doing stuff.

I think it's more important to be in tune with your personal productivity cycle.

For me, my best work is 9am to noon. I suck between 3pm and 4pm, then perk back up again for a couple hours. Then tired around 7pm, and I can work from 8pm to 10 or 11, unless I'm spending time with my wife and family. Overall, that's about 8 honest productive hours each day. I schedule meals, meetings, errands, gym and fart-around time for when I know I'll be at a low point.

I try to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night and be up no later than 7. Usually up by 6:30 or so, naturally by the dawn light, with no alarm.

Yawn, I'm sure you don't care about my personal details. I'm telling this story because I know myself well, and know when I function best and what to expect of myself. It's not perfect. Sometimes I stay up wayyy too late, or sleep in until 9 on Sundays. But it's all good. I give myself a break sometimes, so I don't burn out. The point is that I go where the excitement is. When I'm on the hunt, no silly schedule is going to hold me back.

How bad do I really want it? That is a good question.
The giant within, and those books, it always gets me to a point where I really like to achieve things. Getting an own company, would be awesome. Being my own boss

MJs book got me really inspired, and it showed me how its possible. It would mean sick dedication, and my year of 2012 is going to be one of sickening work ethic.

But then.. then I see 'fight club', where Tyler durden says 'we don't care about material bullshit!'
Or I listen to Eckhart tolle and realise it 'all doesn't really matter'.

I get sidetracked a lot.

Originally Posted by GlobalWealth

What does material bullshit have to do with owning your own business or even being wealthy for that matter?

Your presumption here is that being wealthy equates to public displays of success. While this is true in some cases, it is in no way a requirement.

For me, it's more about independence and freedom. I have very little personal possessions.

But I could also stop working for the next 10 years if I wanted.

Oeh. Very good point. You could be wealthy without any public display of success.
I would love to have the 911 Turbo one day though
and a very nice house to live in. With a pool. And enough to go on vacation whenever I want too..

never thought about that. Its so far out of my own reality at the moment i didn't even come up with it when fantasising

Sometimes I get up early (5 or 6am) and do work. Can do this for weeks on end.

Other times I have periods when I am waking up at 1 or 2pm.

Wish I could consistently do it.

One thing I have found though, is that if there is something I am nervous about (some risk that took me out of my comfort zone) then I am awake at 5am no problem. I always seem to benefit from these risks as well (expanding that comfort zone).

You should do something that makes you a bit nervous.

-Simon

Ive always found that the earlier I get up, the better days goes and the more I get accomplished. I have been unable to do it on a consistent basis and have been working hard to make it routine.

The early morning is great time to get things done and get a head start on everyone else.

Starting the day early is crucial IME, I find getting up early definitely helps you get a good start to the day.

My routine is:
*Wake up at 8am
*Goal Shower - Shower with a vision board of your goals stuck to the screen of your shower
*Jog - 15min
*Workday Session 1 - Task 1 (about 8.45am) - 45 min focus sessions with Classical music in the headphones
*10-15 min break
*Workday Session 2
Repeat.

I find this is the best way to focus getting work done in my businesses.

A really good book on productivity and being 'fully engaged' on your work is "The Power Of Full Engagement" by Tony Schwartz.

You never know what fate has in store for you this day. I'm a natural night owl but I wake up at 5am everyday and work. I wash and make myself presentable. I eat a large breakfast. Then I go do battle with fate.

From Reginsmál (25):

Combed and washed every thoughtful man should be;
and fed in the morning;

for one cannot foresee where one will be by evening
it is bad to rush headlong before one's fate.

For those that struggle to wake up so early, simply realise that your goal should be to wake up as early as you can and improve upon that. Waking up 5 minutes before you have to is a bigger step than 3 more hours earlier.

These posts are great! I fall into a rut a lot of the time too. I think you need to get something productive done EVERY day or you are not doing anything

I actually cannot sleep at all until the early morning hours. I have no idea why, I've tried to go to sleep early and I was dead tired, still couldn't sleep. I do work out and get out but still nothing. My peak hours are probably from 9pm-3am. I just think some people are wired to be night owls. It's just too bad that people think night owls are lazy people when we just have different times we are productive.

And if anyone asks yes I've ready articles and tried to do all the things that are necessary for great sleep, short of taking sleeping medicine. I do take melatonin and it does help a bit. I can stay up for 30+ hours but just can't seem to wake up in the morning. I can sleep for 2-4 hours at sundown and wake up at night, but can't seem to wake up in the morning no matter what. Good thing I can work the night shift.

Originally Posted by squall74

I actually cannot sleep at all until the early morning hours. I have no idea why, I've tried to go to sleep early and I was dead tired, still couldn't sleep. I do work out and get out but still nothing. My peak hours are probably from 9pm-3am. I just think some people are wired to be night owls. It's just too bad that people think night owls are lazy people when we just have different times we are productive.

And if anyone asks yes I've ready articles and tried to do all the things that are necessary for great sleep, short of taking sleeping medicine. I do take melatonin and it does help a bit. I can stay up for 30+ hours but just can't seem to wake up in the morning. I can sleep for 2-4 hours at sundown and wake up at night, but can't seem to wake up in the morning no matter what. Good thing I can work the night shift.

I have the same issue and it seems I am my most productive at 2-5am. I would rather sleep in the day and stay up and work during the night.

i am a great fan of leo babauta from zenhabits, and i think this post is really useful » How I Became an Early Riser :zenhabits