Why Waking up Early Is So Difficult

Do you drink coffee? Have you ever tried to stop?

Me neither. I like coffee.

But what about getting up early? Have you ever tried waking up early? How did it go?

That was a challenge for me. I used to dread getting up early – especially for work!

I mean 40 hours a week working in a job you don’t enjoy… who the heck wants to do that?

But nowadays I love getting up early. Yeah, you heard me… I absolutely love it!

It’s so much fun to be up before the sun rise. It feels like I have a head start over everyone else… like I have some sort of secret that nobody else knows about – and if you “get” what I’m going to share with you by the end of this article – you’ll know the secret too ;)

Would you like to hear it?

I’m sure you would. But first let me explain something important. There are two different ways you can get up in the morning.

Strategy #1:

In my personal opinion, this is the more difficult of the two. It’s like pulling teeth, but you would be surprised how many people still use it. I used it for 28 years because I didn’t know any better because I thought that was how everybody woke up!

Here’s how it goes. As soon as you hear your alarm or start to wake, you either press snooze or turn off your alarm. Then after what seems like an eternity you get this negative feeling in your gut… similar to a feeling you may have had in before when you were late (or almost late) for work. As this feeling starts to intensify, you begin to make pictures of being late for work – and worse – your boss yelling at you. Then when the feeling is strong enough, you scare yourself awake and jump out of bed.

That’s how most people wake up. This strategy works well because it is a moving away from strategy. When you move away from negative feelings you are waking up with this strategy. That’s what motivates a lot of people to get out of bed – that negative vibe.

But there is a much better way. The second strategy is my preference and one I’ve been using for the past 5 some years without missing a beat. Would you like to know it?

I thought you would.

Strategy #2:

The second way to get out of bed is to by using positive feelings to wake up. It’s also known as a moving toward strategy. I’ll sit in my bed for a few minutes when I first wake up and think of something positive that feelings good to me. As I sit with that positive feeling for a few minutes I get positive new memories and images floating in my mind.

Sometimes the experience seems so real that I forget that I’m in bed. As these experiences get richer and more compelling I usually thrown in something that I would like to accomplish for that day (as it already being accomplished).

I do this for 15 minutes every day… and when I do, I jump right out of bed because I feel great. And here’s the best part: because I’m influencing the part of my brain that is unconscious, that great feeling – that great vibe carries with me throughout the day. It’s probably one of the best (if not the best) way to get out of bed.

Much better than scaring yourself out of bed.

Use this strategy for at least a month every day and I guarantee it will be the best month you have. This is forward thinking at it’s best. You’re moving towards a future experience that inspires you and that’s why it’s so much fun.

Which strategy do you use?  How is it going?

5 Comments

  • Alice Hive

    Reply Reply January 25, 2011

    Alright, if I did this for 15 minutes I’d be asleep again. But I’ve basically made the same experience.

    I especially get excited when I promise myself to follow my inspirations. When I feel I will do what I actually want to do (instead of what I’m “supposed” to do), I can’t wait to get up. Because then I see why getting up would be such a great thing to do!

  • Fred Tracy

    Reply Reply January 27, 2011

    Shared on Stumbleupon. This is great stuff. As I was reading the part about the “away from” strategy not being good, it all suddenly clicked. I love this!

    My problem is I have that “secret time” late at night. It’s like since I’m up when everyone else is asleep, I have extra time. I think I simply need to move that “secret time” to the morning rather than super late. Great post!!!

  • Steve

    Reply Reply January 27, 2011

    Hey Fred – great insight too!

  • Alice Hive

    Reply Reply February 7, 2011

    @Fred: It does indeed work in the morning, too! I know that because I also need my “secret time”. :)

  • samira

    Reply Reply December 22, 2011

    hi steve.your idea was best.I enjoy it and try to do for my self.

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