In early December, an article went viral that said that the key to success is for people to wake up at 4am. The article stated that waking up so early meant there were fewer distractions at 4am, plus Tim Cook and Michelle Obama do it. If Obama does it, so should you!
Only, what time someone wakes up is such a tiny portion of their success in life and business. Humans are multi dimensional beings; there’s a lot that goes into each one of us.
Your Work Ethic
If you wake up at 8am, but work your butt off for 8 hours that day, you’ve done a good days work. There may be fewer distractions at 4am, but if you can get your work done when the sun is up, you’ll find success.
There may be a time of day when you’re most productive. For me, it’s between 8-11am, and then again at 4-6pm. I do my most intense work then, and use the rest of the day to manage things. If you don’t shine at 4am, may as well catch some sleep then!
Your Support Systems
Many of the world’s most successful people come from successful families and have very supportive networks. If your parents can pay for your college and give you the head space and the literal space to start a successful business, that’s a huge advantage. It’s a very different road from the single parent trying to start a business in their 1 bedroom apartment.
Where you start in life, and what kind of support is available to you, will be a huge determining factor in how you are able to begin your business. It will filter down into how your structure your work, how you are able to delegate, and ultimately, play a part in your success story.
Your Schedule and Routine
Routine is a very powerful tool for humans. We default to the familiar. So creating habits and a schedule that allow us to thrive is key to success. For example, creating a schedule that eliminates some of the tiny decisions in your day means you’ll have more brain space to put towards the bigger decisions.
Laying out your clothes the night before is a good example. You wake up, put on the clothes and just flow into your day. It’s a simple routine that eliminates an early morning decision for yourself and helps structure both your evening and your morning.
If you want to wake up at 4am, go right ahead. Just don’t think that that is the key to success. Success is a cocktail, and it’s crucial to understand all the parts that go into it.
