American Congregationalist, social reformer, and speaker Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The first hour is the rudder of the day.”

Take a look at the rudder of a ship, it is amazing that something so small, compared to the rest of the ship, could possibly control it. That rudder has an amazing effect on ships, no matter their size. The first hour of your day may not seem like much, but just like the rudder of a ship, it has a huge impact on the rest of your day.

Without a doubt, I have found this to be true in my own life and the lives of my coaching clients. I know from observation that when I linger in bed to catch a few more zZz, or snuggle with my wife or even start the day with a drawn-out breakfast and tv show that the rest of my day will be similarly lazy. I have a list I know needs to get done, but no motivation to accomplish anything.

On the other hand, I have found that when I get right out of bed when the alarm goes off, stumble out to the kitchen and down a glass of water, my morning starts off motivated. By the time 5:45 AM rolls around I have gone through the rest of my routine- make coffee, prep my desk for the day’s activities, read over training material, and take one sip of coffee- and I am ready for one of the Daily Growth Calls I host.

The end of the Daily Growth Call marks an hour I have been awake and I am ready to tackle the day. An informal survey of friends and clients reveals the same result, those who achieve great results during the day start their morning with particular intention.

It may seem daunting to get out of bed and hit the ground running, and it is at first, but you will quickly become accustomed to your routine and even look forward to your rudder time each day.

What can you do to create a rudder for your day?
What activities each morning will help you be motivated and productive during the day?

Photo by Maximilian Weisbecker on Unsplash