I woke up at 5:30 am for a year.
Here’s what it taught me
Why?
It has numerous benefits. Jocko Willink wakes up at 4:30 am and recommends it, I should do it too. In 2018, like everyone else, I had resolutions. One of them being waking up early.
Like everyone else, I did not follow through. It was too much. I worked till late. Waking up at 5:30 meant four hours of sleep — it just was not for me.
It’s April 2018, I was following through on my other resolutions. Fuck it. I’ll wake up early, I said. I googled “Tips on waking up early”, which is probably what you did when you came across this article. So congrats! You’ve taken the first step 🎉
Waking up early meant I had to sleep early. “But when will I get the work done?”
I realized I was using this as an excuse. Waking up early has tremendous benefits, I cannot let them go. So I slept, and I woke up early —and I felt like shit. Why am I putting myself through this? Ah.
First day I went running at a nearby park. Poof. All the tiredness was gone. I felt good. Endorphins were pumping. It was like a high I had never experienced before.
Next day. Woke up. Felt like shit. Ran. Felt good. Repeat.
This is normal. You will feel like not wanting to wake up. Your brain will make excuses —
“Not today”
“Well yesterday was pretty rough”
“You aren’t a Navy Seal- go back to sleep”
The brain seeks comfort. It is human nature. But you need to work this muscle. This not wanting to wake up is like the soreness you feel after your first gym session. It sucks but it is necessary if you want to have a good physique. You need to face it.
How?
It’s just the first 10 seconds after your alarm rings, and I know I sound like Mel Robbins here but hear me out. When your eyes first open, your brain has come to consciousness after a long period of rest. More rest, brain says. You just have to force yourself to wake up in this 10 second interval.
Wake up and sit on your bed. Get moving. Gets easier the longer you do it.
One of the biggest things waking up early does is it sets you up for the rest of the day. You defy yourself. You seek discomfort first thing in the morning. Then you do some physical activity.
You’re ready to conquer work. Your head is held high the rest of the day. You are like a soldier who won a micro-battle against yourself in the morning. You’re proud of yourself. This feeling manifests in the work that you do.
“Oh this problem is too difficult”
“What if she says no?”
“Starting a side hustle is hard”
You know what else is difficult? You know what else you absolutely did not want to do? Waking up at 5:30. And you did it. So you can convince the boss too. You can start a business too. You can ask her out. You can get your article published in The Mission.
Waking up early inculcates a sense of discipline in you. You conquer the first hour of the day — you conquer the rest of the day.
Bonus!
If you are waking up and going out to do some physical exercise, you get to see your city in a way you have not seen before, especially if you go out before 5 am. It’s different. You see everything in a new light(quite literally). It’s majestic.
I started in April last year and have not looked back since. You should start now. There is no need to wait for a new year. Tomorrow is the new you. Tomorrow is your new year.
Discipline. Equals. Freedom. Motherfuckers.
If you liked what you read, you can talk to me on Instagram! Thanks for reading ❤️
