A family member actually recommended this book to me, and I remember my first instinctual response being “ew, a self-help book.” There seems to be a general stigma that exists against self help books; my guess is that it suggests the person reading it is incapable of helping themselves and therefore weak. On the flip side, it could be because the authors that are thriving in this multi-billion dollar industry are feeding off the insecurities of people that don’t know any better. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t too excited to read this at first. And of course, there was one more issue: why would I want to get up earlier than I already have to?!

Right from the start it went as could be expected. It was completely drenched with statements about people currently living in mediocrity, their desires to achieve lives of success sadly going unmet, and how this book can turn it all around. As a bonus, it even came with it’s own traumatic, inspirational story!

“Despite dying for 6 minutes, suffering permanent brain damage, and being told he may never walk again, Hal proved that we are all capable of overcoming any obstacle to create the life of our dreams.”

Reading it felt a bit like all those motivational videos on Youtube with dramatic music playing in the background and clips of athletes doing awesome shit in slow motion. The main difference, however, is that this book delivers more than just empty words. Stripped away of it’s peppy “can-do” attitude and painful drunk-driver-commercial-esque backstory, it contains good, practical advice that can change your relationship with waking up in the morning for the better. For simplicity, I’ll boil this advice down to 2 core principles.

The first one is purpose. Part of making this practice work in the long run is the simple belief that you actually want to wake up for something. That reason can be anything, and it doesn’t always have to involve crazy existential questions to figure out. Maybe you want to better yourself as a person. Maybe you want to play music or achieve financial success. Whatever the reason, how you wake up in the morning can vastly change how much energy you have throughout the entire day. It has the profound effect of wiring your mind for either reluctance or enthusiasm.

“Resistance to this inevitable daily act is a defiant statement to the universe that you would rather lie in bed, unconscious, than to create and live the life you desire.”

The second one is building a habit. By consistently performing routines in the morning that stimulate productivity and energy, the rest of the day easily follows suit. Hal incorporates 6 different activities that he calls Life SAVERS. These basic practices can be customized to fit your own routine in any way you like.

S = Silence: Meditation, peace of mind leading to clarity (5 mins)

A = Affirmations: Change your view of yourself to overcome limiting beliefs (5 mins)

V = Visualization: Program your subconscious mind by picturing your success (5 mins)

E = Exercise: Get your blood flowing and fill your body with oxygen (20 mins)

R = Reading: Acquire knowledge and inspiration for your goals (20 mins)

S = Scribing: Journaling to document insights, ideas, lessons, and gratitude (5 mins)

What?! Waking up an hour earlier? I have no time, I’m not a morning person, I don’t get enough sleep as it is! First of all, you already know those are excuses. Second, the main reason that these practices work is they involve breaking down old habits or thought patterns and creating new ones to fit the vision you have for yourself. Forming new habits are extremely difficult at first, but after a while they become easier and easier. Eventually, they become an integral part of how you approach each day.

“Success is something you attract by the person you become” – Jim Rohn

We often associate who we are through the limitations of our past. This “rear view mirror syndrome” neglects the fact that everybody has the capacity for change. It is up to you to determine whether you want to pursue it. Getting out of bed is always the first step, no matter how early you do it. Oh, and drinking a glass of water helps a lot!