Tips for Late Sleepers From an Unexpected Source: How to Wake Up Earlier and Accelerate Your Career

There aren’t many decisions in one’s career that are game changing, but the decision to start working earlier was definitely one for me. It was so important, in fact, that I named my first blog Early to Rise. Yes, there are “night people” –  individuals whose circadian rhythms favor waking late and working at night. I’m one of them. But I don’t make the mistake of pretending that I am better off submitting to my natural inclinations. It’s just not true. I’m way stronger, smarter, more productive, and happier when I start my working day before most people get out of bed. I wasted a lot of time before I figured this out. Had I done it earlier, I’m sure I would have achieved my goals much sooner. Sadly, this is not something that most young people understand. (Which is one of the reasons I wrote Automatic Wealth for Grads.) And that’s why I was so impressed by this essay on Medium.com by Bryan Ye… a college student: “How To Wake Up at 5 A.M. Every Day.” LINK In this “unconventional and passionate guide to becoming an early bird,” Ye explains that though he knew about the benefits of waking up early, he thought he was “destined to be a night owl forever.” He’d tried to change his routine many times, and always failed. But then, struck by “a surge of motivation,” he tried again. And this time, it worked. He goes on to describe how he “taught” his body to do what he wanted it to do. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know your biorhythms. I don’t know about all your responsibilities and personal challenges. If you are a late riser, I only know this: If you wake up earlier and put your early energy into doing something that is important (but not urgent), your life will improve immensely. And if, like Ye, you have tried and failed to become an early riser, there’s a lot in his essay to help you succeed.