Aristotle said it best, “Choice – not chance, determines your destiny.” We make this choice every day, beginning with your morning routine. We all have them - no matter how long or short they may be, you have a ritual of preparing for the day’s events. How do you start your mornings? We’ve heard of that “morning routine” that successful people swear on. Wake up early, don’t check emails, write, get a good breakfast, exercise, repeat. How does this lead to excellence? By creating discipline – making small choices each day that eventually amount to big choices.
I like to pick three things I want to accomplish each day – one chore (call credit card company to dispute a charge, make a doctor’s appointment, etc.), one personal business goal (write a blog post, read the first chapter of a business book, etc.) and one business goal for, of course, my business (follow up with a prospect, close a deal, etc.). Most importantly, I write these goals down. I’m not sure why, but there is something truly satisfying about physically crossing something off your list. Additionally, when you’re committing these goals to paper, you feel more accountable for them. These goals don’t have to be difficult, like disputing a credit card charge; they just need to be purposeful. How will this goal bring me one step closer to excellence? Let’s go back to the chore of disputing a credit card charge. It seems minute, but it will absolve you of debt. This task can be something that you easily put off for a long enough period of time that you forget about it, unless you make the choice to prioritize it. What’s more, if you can’t make time to call a credit car company, when will you make time for the bigger things? When you make the effort to do things for yourself, you find a way to get them done.
Start off easy – “Today I want to make a healthy meal” or “Today I want to give a gift to someone in need.” Eventually, slowly but surely, these small steps amount to one big one – and that’s excellent.
Aristotle continued to explore the path to excellence. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit." Whether you create a more purposeful routine to start your mornings or make a list of daily goals, or choose to do neither – this will become a habit, and that will become your life. If you strive for excellence, you must create habits that will lead you down that path. It’s different for everyone but it starts with the same step – the choice to commit. If you are interested in creating a successful morning routine but aren’t sure where to start, visit MyMorningRoutine.com, where individuals share their morning routines and how it leads them down the path of success. Do you know where you want to be but are unsure what you need to do to get there? All Systems Grow is committed to helping individuals pave the way for success. Contact us today to learn more.
