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I, like most people, have a fairly standard morning routine that I rarely deviate from. It involves waking up when my alarm goes off and immediately grabbing my phone to hit snooze before repeating the process approximately five more times. I’m not saying it’s the most optimal strategy when it comes to getting up, but it’s what’s always worked for me.
I know it’s probably not the best way to get out of bed in the morning, but it’s basically the only way I’ve ever known. However, former Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink— who recently provided an ingenious (if not impractical) solution to the North Korea crisis and who literally wrote the book on how to win at life— has some pointers you might want to pay attention to if you find yourself cemented to your bed in the morning.
The Iraq War veteran recently spoke to Business Insider and provided some insight into how he kickstarts his day. It all boils down to one basic piece of advice: “Don’t think”:
As soon as his alarm clock goes off at 4:30 a.m. — he recommends waking up early, even if not that early — Willink jumps out of bed and puts on the workout clothes he prepared the night before. He did his to-do list then, too, so he doesn’t have to sip a coffee and wonder what he’ll do that day.
He heads straight to his garage gym for a workout that wakes up his mind and body far more intensely than checking emails and doing some light stretching ever could. By the time he’s done with his morning routine, most people are just waking up, most likely to try to start thinking.
It’s definitely a case of mind over matter, but if you need any additional information, consider this: When participating in Hell Week during training, prospective SEALs are required to go five straight days without virtually any sleep. Losing an extra hour doesn’t seem so bad now, does it?