The Importance of Starting Well. Today.

The most important part of your day is the first 90 minutes.

Now here me out on this, I am sure that there are plenty of other important parts of your day. Dinner dates, work meetings, your kid's sports games or academic competitions, or a post-meal dessert (if you love food as much as I do). 

But everyday - day in and day out - is significantly impacted by how you choose to start the day. And it is a choice. What you do first thing in the morning is a direct result of what you have planned (or not planned) to do. 

And I say this as a novice because I am not a morning person (yet). I love staying up late and sleeping in until noon. But over the years I have learned that some of my best work comes from the earliest parts of the day when I have the most energy. And that's not unique to me. Most of the effective and successful leaders in our world are morning people. Why? Because you can start the day on your terms and you can channel your energy to your most important priorities in life. When I wake up late (or just in time to sprint through getting dressed, out the door, and to work on time), the rest of my day is thrown off. I feel frazzled. I forget things at home and forget items on my mental to-do list. And, not being a morning person, it takes me longer into my work day to be fully alert and active. 

When you manage to get up early, you have the time to not rush and instead accomplish more in preparation for the day (like shower). 

For me personally, I have started waking up at 6AM(ish) every day. Since I don't have to be to work until 9AM most days, this gives me the time to: work out, read my Bible/devotional, eat breakfast, shower, and mentally prepare for my day before I'm thrust into the endless whirlwind of emails, phone calls, meetings, and projects. 

It's like playing a sport. If you have ever been competed in sports (I played football in high school), you know that an important element in prepping for a game/competition lies in your pre-game rituals. A pre-game ritual is a set of habits that a player does before every game in order to get 'into the zone.' It helps you get pumped, prepared, and ready to win the game. 

In life, we need pre-game rituals. We need a set of habits that help us prepare to win the day. And therein lies the importance of the first 90 minutes of your day.

So protect the first part of your day, in order to help you prepare for a day of success.

What are necessary ingredients to the start of a successful day for you? What time do you get up most mornings? Comment and discuss below!