You Will Never Feel Like It. So What. Successful People Do it Anyway
Every day during the week I get up before the sun does. I turn off the alarm on my phone, grab it off of the night stand, and begrudgingly walk over to the dresser to switch off the back up alarm.
Before my eyes are completely open, and way before our cat Boomer's are, I walk across the house to the office. I grab the laptop off of my desk, close the door behind me and head downstairs to start making coffee.
If you've known me for very long, you know I used to be a night person. I've always stayed up late, even to the point where late became really early.
But for the past several months I've been waking up before the sun rises over the hill. I've been waking up and getting to work.
The funny thing is, not once did I feel like it.
Photo credit: ~*Leah*~ / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
I'm a huge fan of coffee. No cream, no sugar, just black. I often joke to myself, (yes, I talk to myself sometimes in the morning, don't you?) that I'd take the coffee intravenously if possible. As fast as I can make it, I start drinking it.
I'm a huge fan of sleep too. Sleeping late on Saturdays is one of my favorite things to do.
However, when you find something you love doing and that you're passionate about, you get up when it's dark and you get out of bed when the morning is cold. You will never feel like it but you do it anyway.
You have goals, right?
I know you do. If you didn't have goals, I can guarantee you'd be reading something else.
Yet when was the last time you felt like pursuing those goals?
When was the last time you felt like going to the gym, felt like sitting down to study, or felt like eating a salad instead of a hamburger?
The difference between staying average and achieving greatness is the number of times you put in the work when you don't feel like it (TWEET THAT!)
Achieving your goals will take work.
Paying off debt will take work.
Losing weight will take work.
Turning off the game and sitting down to study takes work.
But if you and I are to ever accomplish what we want to accomplish, we have to put in effort when we don't feel like it.
Especially when we don't feel like it.
Question: Do you ever feel like it? How to you stay motivated?
I do feel like it with some things. I feel like playing music. Sometimes I feel like writing books. I don’t feel like exercising today. But I just set up my exercise room.
Dan, thanks for sharing! The truth is, sometimes I feel like it too. I’ve found that, after a while, things tend to become habit and I start to crave what I once hated.
Have you found the same thing?
I do feel like it with some things. I feel like playing music. Sometimes I feel like writing books. I don’t feel like exercising today. But I just set up my exercise room.
Dan, thanks for sharing! The truth is, sometimes I feel like it too. I’ve found that, after a while, things tend to become habit and I start to crave what I once hated.
Have you found the same thing?
You are so right! Some of the things that we need/should do to reach our goals are the very same things that we don’t feel like doing. Results help keep me motivated. It is much easier to get on the stair master (something I loathe) when I know it will produce positive results!
Ashley, thank you for checking out the post and commenting!
I agree, it is much easier to take action, especially actions that we’re not huge fans of, if we can tie them to a direct result.
Keep it up!
You are so right! Some of the things that we need/should do to reach our goals are the very same things that we don’t feel like doing. Results help keep me motivated. It is much easier to get on the stair master (something I loathe) when I know it will produce positive results!
Ashley, thank you for checking out the post and commenting!
I agree, it is much easier to take action, especially actions that we’re not huge fans of, if we can tie them to a direct result.
Keep it up!
Ellory, A timely message that I needed to hear. I’ve been complaining a lot in the mornings and finding excuses NOT to get out of bed.
This was the kick in the butt I needed. #5AMagain
Hey Larry! Thanks for stopping by and sharing a comment.
I’m glad this helped. You know, for me, it’s pretty tough getting up when it’s still dark outside. Even this morning I’m still recovering from a late night of writing a few days ago.
What will you be working on at 5 am?
Ellory, A timely message that I needed to hear. I’ve been complaining a lot in the mornings and finding excuses NOT to get out of bed.
This was the kick in the butt I needed. #5AMagain
Hey Larry! Thanks for stopping by and sharing a comment.
I’m glad this helped. You know, for me, it’s pretty tough getting up when it’s still dark outside. Even this morning I’m still recovering from a late night of writing a few days ago.
What will you be working on at 5 am?
I feel your pain. I too have been getting up early, 5 AM usually. I try to wake up without an alarm. I am pretty good at it.
It isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it. I can also say when I have been up for a while I appreciate being up early. I usually feel better through out the day. Assuming I have had at least nearly enough sleep. 🙂
James, great meeting you today! I’m going to take your advice and get some sleep.
Thank you for commenting and sharing!
I feel your pain. I too have been getting up early, 5 AM usually. I try to wake up without an alarm. I am pretty good at it.
It isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it. I can also say when I have been up for a while I appreciate being up early. I usually feel better through out the day. Assuming I have had at least nearly enough sleep. 🙂
James, great meeting you today! I’m going to take your advice and get some sleep.
Thank you for commenting and sharing!
In defense of us “night workers”, I am definitely not a morning person. I have tried really hard to wake up early in the morning to get my work done. I have really tried. But I found that there is not enough coffee in the world that makes me do my best work first thing in the morning. If God wanted me up that early, he would have made the sun come up to lighten up my day.
I find (although I do wake up earlier than I used to), I do my best work in the evening. My mind is clear and it is a great way to wind down the day putting into action the things that have been on my mind the rest of the day.
Then, I can sleep better knowing all that I have accomplished.
The secret is not the hour. The secret is to put aside the time to do your work. Unfortunately, it is harder to put aside time at night, with responsibilities and social engagements.
But my routine dictates that I get this done in the evening, and it is good.
You’re very right, the secret isn’t the hour, it’s the act of being intentional with our time. Thank you for commenting and sharing!
I too work in the evening. I even write blog posts at about 10:30 at night after things have settled down.
Keep up the good work!
In defense of us “night workers”, I am definitely not a morning person. I have tried really hard to wake up early in the morning to get my work done. I have really tried. But I found that there is not enough coffee in the world that makes me do my best work first thing in the morning. If God wanted me up that early, he would have made the sun come up to lighten up my day.
I find (although I do wake up earlier than I used to), I do my best work in the evening. My mind is clear and it is a great way to wind down the day putting into action the things that have been on my mind the rest of the day.
Then, I can sleep better knowing all that I have accomplished.
The secret is not the hour. The secret is to put aside the time to do your work. Unfortunately, it is harder to put aside time at night, with responsibilities and social engagements.
But my routine dictates that I get this done in the evening, and it is good.
You’re very right, the secret isn’t the hour, it’s the act of being intentional with our time. Thank you for commenting and sharing!
I too work in the evening. I even write blog posts at about 10:30 at night after things have settled down.
Keep up the good work!