Start Early and Start Right

Homo Sapiens have been around for 200,000 years or so. In this relatively short time we have caused a greater change to the planet than any other species that has existed. The systematic genocide of all other hominids that we came in contact with was just the beginning of the changes we would go on to make. While we were busy getting rid of our closest relatives, we were also hunting most of the planet’s megafauna into extinction and traveling vast distances to populate every corner of the planet.

Homo Sapiens are progressive and productive by our evolutionary nature. Growing from just an average species – where we occupied an average branch on the evolutionary tree – into the creature that has had the most profound impact on our planet took a lot of effort.

Where did this effort come from?

Getting up early and being productive throughout the day is part of the natural selection process experienced by our early ancestors. It is literally part of our nature to feel good about getting up early and getting started with a productive day. Our ancestors who chose to do this probably had more time to seek the best hunting grounds, prepare the best weapons or have sex with their favorite mate. All great stuff to help get your genes into the deep end of the gene pool.

While every other animal that has ever existed has been satisfied to live within their position on the evolutionary tree, we have been seeking Better Life Living right from the start.

Early to bed and early to rise is a habit in keeping with the prehistoric hard wiring of our brains. There are plenty of high achieving people that attribute their success to having a well thought- out and habitual start to their day.

Here are just a few:

• Tim Robbins
• Oprah Winfrey
• Barack Obama
• Steve Jobs
• Bill Gates
• Jim Carrey

All these people are self-made with success stories that have had an impact on our world. All of them testify that a solid start to the day, every day, has been a key factor in their remarkable lives.

Then the question is, what might a solid start to the day include?

Incorporating these small steps in your morning routine will not only make you feel better but will also supercharge you to achieve more every day. And I mean, every day!

• Take the time to hydrate properly.
• Eat a nutritious breakfast.
• Do some cardiovascular exercise.
• Read a chapter of that inspirational book.
• Practice meditation, yoga or Tai Chi.
• Take that amazing trail walk.
• Take a moment to say your affirmations (we will cover this in the future).

I can honestly say that improving my morning routine has been the most important consideration in improving my life in the last 4 years. A good routine has given me more energy throughout the day, fills me with a positive outlook, and gives me an expectation of success in whatever is happening that day.  If for some reason I do not make it through my morning routine, there is a notable difference in the tone of the whole day.

Here is the formula that I personally follow, but by all means take the parts you like the best and make it your own.

1. As soon as I wake up, I drink 1 liter of room temperature water with the juice of half a lemon in it. The lemon makes it taste nice, but also helps with getting the water to the PH my body most needs. If I am somewhere without a lemon, I try and plan ahead and have some bottled alkaline water ready for the morning.
2. After the water, make your bed and get your bedroom squared away. If nothing else gets achieved today, you will have achieved a  properly made bed and at the end of the day you will have a nicely made bed to get into. I have never been in the military, but I did take this idea from the long military tradition of making sure your bed was made well every morning.
3. A positive side effect of the lemon water and bending over a few times to make the bed is it seems to get my bowels working. Most lifestyle writers might have left this observation out but as they say, the devil is in the detail. While you praying in the little sacred room – the loo, the dunny, the lav –  use the time to read 5 to 10 pages from an inspirational book. This is all about time economics. 8 pages a morning means you are getting through 300 pages every 6 weeks. That is 8 books a year and all you did was make better use of your time on the thunderbox.
4. Cardio exercise for 30 to 45 min or 1 hour of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu five days a week. Before I start I try and have a piece of fruit and maybe a coffee just to make sure I have some blood sugar rolling for the exercise. BJJ is particularly hard if you are starving.
5. On the days off from exercise, I do 30 minutes of meditation.

I was lucky to be exposed to Mediation at University when I studied Chinese Medicine. I lost the path for many years, but I have found it again over the last two years and I will practice regularly now for the rest of my life.

1. Sundays are probably my favorite morning, as there is usually time for both meditation and exercise. I will usually mediate first then go for a run with my dogs in the forest near my house. A great start to the day.
2. Whatever day it is, there is always a nutritious breakfast after the exercise or meditation session. This will consist of something like 1 egg, 3 egg whites, whole grain toast, and fruit salad or a fruit smoothie.

For most people, this routine is going to sound impossible. There are a whole bunch of reasons why you can not stick to a routine like this. If it was that simple you would have already done it, right?

First of all, if you are not doing any of the above right now it is going to be one hell of a jump to take them all up in one go. So let’s not do that. Let’s just take one or two up. Keep it simple.

You could decide to hydrate properly every morning and get up early for a 30 min cardio workout two mornings a week. Let’s drill this in for a month so once that is set, you can take something else up. Within six months you will be waking up at 5:30 am every day and you will have a rock solid launch process to get you successfully firing top range every day.

Ok so now you are all set for a better beginning to every day for the rest of your life, the only thing left to do –  is to decide which day to start! 🙂