I wasn’t always like this. In fact, when I first started this new routine, I didn’t share my dirty little secret with any colleagues. That was more than 15 years ago. And truth be told, I still don’t shout it from the mountains, but I just read an article claiming that successful people wake up early, so f**k it.

Here I am. This is me. I wake up before the sun rises.

It started simply enough. I wanted to try and get a run in before going to work. I thought, I can do this. Or at least I can try. Well, before I knew it, I was hooked on waking up early. Before I even stepped into work, I felt more productive. And when I got into the office, I was more productive. But don’t just take my word for it, the benefits are proven.

Studies Show Early Risers Benefit From Being:

• More proactive
• Better equipped to anticipate problems
• More optimistic
• Better planners

And not just that. Early risers enjoy a better night’s sleep.

Are you convinced yet? What if I shared that super successful people like Tim Cook, Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey are early risers? Just think, if you wake up before dawn, maybe, just maybe, you can join their ranks. And if not, at least you can say you tried.

Tips For Waking Up Early

• Start slowly. Try waking up 15 minutes earlier each day until you’ve hit your target time.
• Say goodbye to caffeine after noon.
• Go to bed earlier.
• Set your alarm. Get up and out of your room as soon as it goes off.
• Plan ahead. What are you going to do with your extra time? If you’re going to exercise, find a friend – it’s the perfect time to catch up!
• Set a goal.
• Allow yourself to fail. If you don’t wake up one morning, it doesn’t mean you can’t try again the next day.