I am NOT a morning person. Most anyone who has lived or worked with me can confirm this…. Often with vivid examples. Every body part hurts. My brain is a foggy mess. I don’t even get out of bed until most people are already at work. I can stay in bed dozing in and out for hours some mornings, but eventually hunger and increasing aches and pains make it necessary to face the world.
So why am I such a proponent of adhering to a regimental morning routine? Initially, it was just because many successful people whom I highly respect and look up to (like Pat Flynn, Tim Ferris, Hal Elrod, etc.) strongly recommend doing so. Plus, in watching how the animal kingdom functions, we seem to almost be genetically wired to follow a regimented morning routine. Just watch your own cats or dogs follow a very stable routine, and how disrupting this routine seems to throw them off and take a while to reset.
But once I started looking at how I function and when I’ve accomplished more in my life, I’ve been adhering to an almost unconscious morning routine already…. albeit later than most people start their days. So, to help ensure I spark a higher level of flow daily, I’m developing a more conscious and intentional morning routine.
The advantage of morning rituals is the clear mind we wake up with, at least most days hopefully, which is a tough thing to create in today’s world of hustle and constant distraction online and off. It’s like a painter with a blank canvas. You start by preparing your brushes, paints, easel, smock, and drop cloth. But how does a painter go from the blank slate to masterpiece? You need inspiration that sparks your mission for the day, then clarity to envision the steps to get there. It’s rare that you can do your favorite pieces first, like putting leaves on your trees or adding a twinkle to your subject’s eye. You must start with the foundation, whether it be the sky, water, grass, or walls. Then you add the major structures like houses, tree trunks, furniture, etc. You get the picture. Of course, if you don’t have a vision for what you’re trying to accomplish….and more importantly, why…then you’re just meandering aimlessly through the project and come up with mediocre results. Who needs a slew of unimaginative landscape paintings to fill their walls or storage bins?
So, use your clear mind and blank canvas each morning to envision your ideal day, find and leverage what sparks your higher-level thinking (or FLOW), and revisit your longer-term goals and mission regularly to ensure you stay on track to achieve your dreams.
And don’t expect me to answer the phone or return an email until I’m on-track with my day and already started achieving my goals for the day. Once I do call or write back, you’ll know you’re a conscious part of my vision and mission for this one life I’m lucky enough to tackle…paintbrushes clean and ready to go!
S. Mark Evans 