Successful people are very often early risers. From Franklin to Obama, from Branson to Darwin, all were known to rise with the morning sun. Whatever their motivations, they all reaped the benefits of putting their feet on the floor before the cock opened its beak.

“Mind over Mattress”

Robin Sharma

But why is rising early such a common trait? What is it about “Mind Over Mattress” that attracts so many famous and successful people to its clutches? Why do they drag their tired bodies to start the day super early when the rest of us are still dreaming?

The Winner’s Mindset

There is a sense of control acquired from beating the inner voice. If your mind wins the battle between victim and success, things start on a high note and usually only get better. Recognizing the voice is your best defense against him. When the alarm goes off and the voice tells you that you went to bed far too late to get up this early, or that five more minutes won’t hurt, DON’T LISTEN! Those who stay in bed won’t be competition for the big guys, but they will have to watch out for you. When you are in charge of the inner voice, there will be no stopping you.

More Time

If you were to get up just one hour earlier each morning you would gain 15 days in a year. Scary when you put it like that. How many days of our lives do we waste sleeping? I don’t know about you, but I have too much I want to achieve to waste my life in this way. If you are time deficient, sleep less. We only need six to seven hours a night. Any more is wasting life.

Get Active

The morning is a great time to exercise. It sets you up for the day with energy, focus, and enthusiasm. Some mornings when I come back from my new habit of running, I feel invincible. Stress has to work a lot harder to get hold of me, and all my relationships are happier and calmer. Exercising in the morning will make you more productive and contribute to making you more successful.

Quiet Time

With three boys in my house, I rarely find quiet time. If I want to meditate or do something undisturbed, I do it early morning. Rising early gives me the time to fit it in. You could also use this time to write, paint, or do something else creative.

Find Your Muse

Many early risers cite increased creativity and inspiration in the morning hours. Great works of art and novels got written in the early hours of the day. So if you have a masterpiece waiting to unfold, maybe rising an hour earlier might unlock the secret.

Time for Food

Breakfast is an important meal that we often neglect due to time constraints. Rushing to work with a bagel isn’t going to give you the energy or focus required to kick ass. By taking more time in the morning, you have have a healthier meal, which will make you more productive and effective.

One Step Ahead

The early risers are one step ahead of the crowd: calm, collected, and accomplished when everyone else is rushing to the office. The early bird has it under control. When you wake up early, you have more time for planning, strategic thinking, and getting organized. You will find you waste less time from being disorganized or making bad decisions. The added benefit of getting to the office first means fewer distractions from colleagues and getting done what you planned to get done.

So if you haven’t already created the habit of early rising, start tomorrow. Go to bed an hour earlier so that you won’t be too tired. It may take a couple of days to adjust and you may not feel the benefit straight away, but stick with it. Millions of super people can’t all be wrong.

Are you an early riser? If so do you have any tips for becoming one?