DSD-019 Morning Mind Hack

Doing Stuff Daily

What’s the first thing you do every morning… I mean EVERY morning?

I have no doubt whatsoever that the first thing to go through your mind every morning should have nothing to do with getting to the bathroom. Every person should start their day this way because you owe it to yourself to get the best start possible.

Your mornings should be sacred, but you treat them like a sacrilege. If that’s the case, you need to hack your own morning into a better existence with positive input, personal expression and a proactive kick in the butt.

Mornings suck for most people and I’m going to tell you why. Every morning over 95% of the population try to get every last second of sleep as they possibly can before tackling the day ahead. You are one of two types of morning people. First, the Type-A Person.You plan your mornings down to the minute, knowing how long it takes you to pop in your contacts, dress, eat and get out the door. Or, you’re the Non-Type-A Person.You just move in the general direction of what you know you have to do. You know what needs to happen and somehow, you get it done but the efficiency always leaves you feeling hurried and out of control.

I remember hearing motivational speaker John Maxwell speak years ago, like back in the 1970’s, where he talked about beating procrastination. He said, every morning when he got up he would repeat out loud three simple words, “Do It Now!” I can hear him even today saying it… “Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Do it now!”

He said he repeated that phrase 50 times every morning before doing anything else. I don’t remember how many days he said he did this, but I’m sure it was a lot. (I wonder how his wife felt about this?) Guess what? He started “doing it now” and overcame the creep of procrastination.

I’m in the process of tweaking my own morning ritual. I’m choosing to start every day by repeating a printed morning mantra.

Recently, I’ve been having a lot of weird dreams. Not those kind of dreams, dreams that leave me waking up feeling less of myself than I should. In these dreams I’m always second. I’m never quite finished. I get close but never fully complete things. Stuff like that. I believe it to be my own subconscious past trying to keep a foothold on my current path forward. The past can be a real drag, especially if it keeps hanging on to the back of your mind and pulling. It is a resistance I want to minimize and counteract.

I am creating a statement card, a physical card that will become the first thing I touch every morning as I get out of bed. Yes, even before I put on my glasses and even before I grab my iPhone.

It will be more elaborate than the “Do It Now!” of John Maxwell, but it won’t be so elaborate that the message will be lost in the wording.

It will contain 3 primary elements…

1. Positive Input. Say something nice to yourself about yourself.
2. Personal Expression. Written by me, for me. Counteract any negative thoughts/dreams I may have. It is also something I crafted myself, not copied from a book or another person.
3. Proactive Kick-In-The-Butt. Statements that begin with “I am…” “I will…” “I can…” These will point me toward my current goals.

Short enough to memorize. Long enough to detail substance. Small enough to carry in my pocket every day… a constant reminder.

Ideally… rhythmic. Rhythm is easier to remember, repeat and internalize.

What do you suppose happens when a person says the same thing about himself to himself over and over again every day? He starts to believe it. If it’s negative, he’ll see himself negatively. If it’s positive, he’ll believe himself positively

Tom Peterson, marketing & fundraising consultant says,

Repetition can be powerful in three ways. First, as we repeat something, like a sports [sic] move or a piano piece, we move toward mastering it. Second, we can accomplish a giant task with frequent small actions toward the goal. Third, repetition creates habits.

Robert Greene, in his book, Mastery has this to say,

When it comes to mastering a skill, time is the magic ingredient. Assuming your practice proceeds at a steady level, over days and weeks certain elements of the skill become hardwired. Slowly, the entire skill becomes internalized, part of your nervous system. The mind is no longer mired in the details but can see the larger picture. It is a miraculous sensation and practice will lead you to that point, no matter the talent level you are born with.

What do I want to master with this morning habit of positive input? I want to master the skill and create the habit of positive thinking. I want to hardwire into my mind positive, personal & proactive thought… every day.

The best start to any day is the start you choose to have and control.

A mind is a terrible thing to clutter with thoughts that do not do not push you forward.

Bill McConnell is the content creator and author of the book, Conquer What's Next amzn.to/2HBZ6s8 Websites:https://DoingStuffDaily.com https://BillMcConnell.me Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wmcmcconnell Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/DoingStuffDaily Twitter:https://twitter.com/DoingStuffDaily Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/billmcconnell Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+WilliamMcConnellDSD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-mcconnell-5b96aa80/