Maybe you’ll have to turn off Netflix a little sooner at night so you can wake up a bit earlier. Maybe the coffee will need to be stronger because you’ve never been a morning person. Maybe it’ll be the hour before the kids wake up and start storming around the house. Or maybe it’ll be as simple as not turning on the news first thing in the morning. (Don’t get me started.)

Whatever morning routine you currently have, ask yourself: Are my morning habits setting myself up for my best possible day?

The first hour of the morning can make or break your day. It’s the difference of controlling your energy, your inner thoughts, and your attention units or allowing them to be controlled by the outside world. The greatest leaders in the world don’t roll out of bed and rush to work. They set themselves up for success through their morning habits. After all, we can only respect and ask for greatness of others if we are respecting and demanding greatness of ourselves.

The following is a 1-hour, 1-minute guideline for a morning routine to put your mind, body, and spirit in the right place each morning. Try it for 30 days. We promise this: Not only will you notice a difference in your life, but others will notice a difference too.

Every great leader and visionary has been a failure. Abraham Lincoln. Thomas Edison. Steve Jobs. Hellen Keller. Nelson Mandela. George Washington. Joan of Arc. Alexander the Great. The list of great men and women of history can go on endlessly. Each did different things for the advancement of humanity, but they all have one thing in common: They had to overcome failure and setbacks many times in their paths to greatness.

As humans, we are drawn to those who excel at what they do. The next time you see a great speaker, a great musician, or a great actor, take note of how much attention they grab from you and the ones around you. When this happens, we deceive ourselves into thinking they must not only be great at other things, but everything they do.

Because of this trick that happens in our brains, when we look at great leaders, especially those in the context of our history textbooks, we sometimes think they must have accomplished and succeeded at everything they attempted. But when we research and learn more about those we admire in history books, we discover that nothing came easy for any leader. Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before getting the light bulb correct. George Washington had to surrender to the French early in his military career. Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison. Tom Brady has lost three Super Bowls. (My friends that are Colts fans will appreciate me sliding that last one in there.)

But here’s the important thing to know: Failure and setbacks are what fuel us to keep moving forward. They are inevitable and sometimes sting, but they should be appreciated because they are what weed out the people that aren’t dedicated from the ones that are willing to keep pushing to fulfill their passion and purpose.

There are two things to remember in the context of leading from our failures:

The first hour of the morning can make or break your day. It’s the difference of controlling your energy, your inner thoughts, and your attention units, or allowing them to be controlled by the outside world.

1.

If you’re a dreamer that aspires to one day become a leader, a visionary, or a history-maker, remember that even the greatest leaders in history didn’t have it easy. It’s completely natural and should be expected to lose sometimes. Let those losses fuel your fire as you work to reach new levels. Even more so, let those failures become a part of your success story that you will ultimately tell one day to those you wish to inspire.

2.

If you’re a successful leader, share with your team often the stories of failure and hard experiences you had to overcome to be in the position you’re currently in. Believe it or not, people will look at you as the successful person you are and think, “Man, that must be nice. I bet you’ve made every perfect decision to be in the position you’re in.” Well, we all know that’s not true. Tell them about the hiccups you’ve had along the way, and let them know that setbacks are just setting them up for a comeback.

Contact Us

Need advice on the best strategies to share your story and inspire your team? We want to help you raise your influence, and we have strategies to use your past experiences to your advantage.

Email us at info@nav2lead.com or call us at 888-771-5812 for more information about how we can get you on the right track to develop the leadership capabilities of those around you.