The One Habit I Stole From My Father

When I was little, my dad used to wake up early every day. For work, for reading the newspaper, or just writing stuff down in his personal notebook. He still does it now - 20 years down the line. Even if it's just to read a book.

I think this does something in a man. It forces you to face your reality before anyone else is awake. To sit with your thoughts, your plans, your worries - before the chaos of the day drowns them out. Out of all his habits, either via genetics or memetics, this is the one I ended up picking up.

The thing is, I never woke up early as a child. I was never forced to, never compelled - unless it was for something important like an exam or a flight. I just watched him do it, year after year, without really understanding why. Sometimes he'd be scrolling through his phone, but more often he'd be reading the newspaper or scribbling in his notebook. Just keeping himself active in the morning so he could stay sharp throughout the day.

Then somewhere along the way, it clicked. Not because someone told me to, but because I finally decided to try it myself. Now it's in my blood. I'm up through my own volition, through my own internal clock telling me to be up.

That's how habits transfer, I think. Not through instruction, but through observation. You can't really tell someone to do something and expect it to stick. But when someone tries something out by copying you, and they realise it works - that's when it becomes theirs. People copy what works, but only when they're ready to try it themselves.

These days, I wake up before appointments, before meetings, before exams. Always reading - a book, my Kindle, something technical. Rarely writing, although that's something I want to do more of. What's most important is the energy it gives me. There's something deeply satisfying about knowing you've woken up before your competitors to seize the day. Even if the rest of your day is just going through the motions at work, that early morning win stays with you.

If you want to try this, the foundation is obvious but worth stating: sleep earlier so you can wake up earlier. That's it. Your body needs rest, and if you want to own your mornings, you have to earn them the night before.

Once you have that, you can stack other habits on top. Go for a run in the morning, then have a tea or coffee when you're back. This gets you into a flow state that carries through your entire day. The combination of movement, fresh air, and a warm drink afterwards does something to your brain - it primes you to focus. You can also do this during your lunch break if mornings don't work for you. It helps you power through whatever work is left in the afternoon much faster than if you'd just sat at your desk the whole time.

Try it for a week. Wake up before everyone else. See what it does.