Brian Tracy argues the first hour of the day ‘‘is the rudder of the day’’ and recommends three daily morning rituals to improve productivity and resilience: (1) read 30–60 minutes each morning from uplifting/inspirational material (not newspapers/TV) to set a positive mental tone; (2) eat a light, healthy, high-protein breakfast (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, juice/water, yogurt; avoid fatty foods, bagels, donuts, bacon, heavy breakfasts that induce drowsiness); and (3) plan each day in advance—ideally the night before—by listing tasks and using the ABCDE method to prioritize and begin with the most important task. He links these habits to greater alertness, creativity, optimism, and overall daily performance.
Chapters
One of the most important lines I read as a young man was the line that the first hour is the rudder of the day. And some people call the first hour the golden hour because it sets the tone for everything that happens for the rest of the day and you cannot take it casually. Remember, everything counts. So what are some daily morning rituals that people can practice to prepare their mind and tackle the rest of the day? I have worked with thousands of successful people and they all have rituals or habits. Everyone has a daily morning ritual that they practice, whether they know it or not. Some of these habits are more beneficial than others and can prepare your mind and body for everything you have planned for that day. One beneficial habit that you can practice every morning is to get up and read 30 to 60 minutes in something uplifting and inspirational each day. When you get up in the morning and instead of reading the newspaper or watching television, you read something positive and constructive and inspiring. You set your mental stage or tone for the rest of the day. Throughout the day, from the first day that you try this, you will notice that things go better for you. You will be calmer, you're more productive, you're more creative, you're more more alert. You'll actually be more resilient and will respond more effectively when you face the inevitable ups and downs of your daily life. Just like vigorous physical exercise in the morning will prepare you to be more resilient physically during the day, positive mental exercise in the form of inspirational reading will prepare you to be more mentally fit during the day. Another great morning habit you can practice to set a strong mental stage for the rest of the day is to start your day by eating healthy, nutritious foods. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. Drink more fruit juice and water. Eat whole grain breakfast cereals, muffins and yogurt, and especially high protein. At the same time, avoid fatty foods that weigh you down and tire you out. Don't eat bagels and donuts and junk food in the morning. Remember, the first meal in the morning sets you up for the whole day. The standard American breakfast of bacon and fried eggs and toast is one of the very worst combinations you can eat in the morning. Within an hour after eating these foods, you'll start to become drowsy again. All the blood in your brain will rush to your stomach to try to break down those heavy fat, fatty, overcooked proteins. But by starting every day with a light, healthy, nutritious breakfast, you'll have more energy hour after hour. When you start with a healthy breakfast, you'll Be more alert and positive for the next few hours. You'll be more eager to get on with the day. You'll be more creative because more of your blood is available to your brain to give you ideas. You'll actually see more possibilities in everything that's going on around you. And if you eat well in the morning, you'll be a generally more cheerful person all day long. You wake up in the morning with the feeling that there's nothing that you cannot do if you put your mind to it. And if you hold that thought long enough and hard enough, it becomes true in your life. Now you can increase your levels of optimism each day by planning every day in advance. The ideal time to plan is the night before. Make a list of everything you have to do in the coming day and then go over the list and use the ABCDE method to set your priorities. It's amazing how much better you sleep and how much more positively you will awake when you have already pre planned your day, when you know exactly what you're going to do and in what order. So starting today, begin applying these beneficial morning rituals to help increase your productivity and tackle anything the day has planned for you. Get up in the morning and read for 30 to 60 minutes in something that is enlightening or inspirational rather than the newspaper. Eat a really healthy, nutritious breakfast and a avoid carbohydrates and bagels and bread and bacon and things like that. And third of all, plan every day in advance. Make a list, set priorities and then start in on your most important task. First thing, if you do these three things, you're going to have a wonderful day every day.
