The Morning It All Started

Okay, when I naturally woke up at around 6, I could feel that change was happening inside out of me—on a holiday morning. Ever since April 7th this year, that Monday morning, I rose before my alarm went off at 5:10 AM.

My new experiment and challenge with life—to get back to being a morning person—has slowly but surprisingly changed my lifestyle. I can feel it.

Within just four weeks till now, I think I’ve almost gotten used to my new routine without too much struggle or pain in the morning, or the unwillingness to go to sleep early at night. I think my next step is to try to keep it as a lifelong habit.

It’s Not About the Exact Time

First of all, getting up at half past five is not a fixed number. Getting up early is the goal. So whether you’re part of the 5 a.m. club, or more of a 6 a.m. type, it’s fine. As long as it feels early for you, it should work.

Now, sitting here at 7 p.m., I’m writing this. I can feel I’m not thinking as clearly as I would in the morning when I feel fresh and awake. But I can also feel that by moving my time a little bit earlier each day, I feel great about myself.

This is a valuable experiment. I’m glad I did it. I’m glad I embarked on this after trying and failing so many times. I’ve always wanted to wake up early. This time, I hope I can keep it as long as life takes me.

About The 5 A.M. Club (The Book)

“Early” is a magic word in itself—but I have to say, I don’t quite recommend The 5 A.M. Club book. I’ve finished reading it. It’s not worth investing your time to read the whole thing.

You can find condensed tips or ideas from that book online, and I think that’s more than enough. The book itself is too silly, and the story isn’t convincing or fun at all.

But if you’re someone like me who reads original English to improve language skills, maybe you can give it a try—if you read fast. But honestly, I don’t recommend it. There are way better novels out there. I don’t even want to write a book review on it.

The whole theory of that book is very simple, actually. Take the tips—just the tips—and make them your own. That’s what matters. The story doesn’t help reinforce the habits at all. Personally, I don’t like it.

Find Your Reason to Wake Early

The only reason you need to wake up early is to find your own reason. I think all my past failed attempts happened because I didn’t actually have a solid reason to convince myself. Why should I do that?

Even now, my friends still ask me. Only now do I have a solid answer—for myself and those curious around me.

I wake up early because I hate the nighttime version of myself. The one who scrolls the phone mindlessly, like so many others. Even though in the daytime I’m usually positive and cherish every single minute of my life, something just changes at night. I don’t like that me.

At night, people’s discipline and motivation just fade. You end up wasting time when you’re too tired. So for me, just going to bed at 10 is better. That’s it. Just cutting off those late-night hours helps.

But that’s just me. If you’re productive at night, that’s fine. You don’t have to get up early. The goal is to build a life you like to live. That’s what really matters.

Step by Step: Don’t Overthink It

To start with, don’t overthink getting up early. What works for me is setting an alarm to go to bed early. Make sure you get at least seven solid hours of sleep. Sleep is very important. Don’t cut your sleep just to be productive. That’s stupid.

So for me, I try to go to bed before 10 p.m. Of course, some days I can’t—maybe because of an event or just one of those nights. But that’s okay.

Rules are just rules. Leave some wiggle room for life. What matters is that you always remember the promise you made to yourself: to sleep early. Don’t hate yourself for failing on some days. Allow yourself to fail, but always keep the faith:

“Today, I’ll go to bed before 10. I’ll try my best.”

Trusting yourself to be able to do it is so important. Tell yourself: You can do this. You’re a badass. You can create a beautiful life you love living and start living it now!

Don’t Overload Your Mornings

As you rise early, don’t try to force yourself to do a crazy bunch of things every day. Just finishing your daily quota of workload—is more than enough.

Not everybody can finish every single day’s task exactly as they should, every single day. What matters most is consistency—not trying to overdo it on some days and then doing nothing on the others. Don’t try to live two days in one. Live one day at a time.

If you’re more productive in the morning, you might get something done in one hour that used to take two. That extra hour is your bonus. Use it to relax, walk, enjoy the view—whatever helps you release tension.

The goal is to live at a relaxed, consistent pace. Don’t try too hard to overachieve everything. Life is a marathon. Take your time.

Living each day to the fullest doesn’t mean working yourself to death. You wake early to enjoy the expansion of the day. Don’t be too anxious or goal-obsessed. That achievement-focused mindset can be heavy. Trust me.

Take life easy. What you want will come, as long as you live with a clear mind and a light mood.

In the End: Keep Living the Process

Last but not least—it’s a long battle. But remember to live for the process, not just for the end result, not just for the “legacy” or something carved on your tombstone.

Keep it going. Flow with life. Open your eyes clearly each morning, and close them peacefully when it’s time to sleep.