It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.
- Aristotle
Are morning people born or made? In my case it was definitely made. In my early 20s, I rarely went to bed before midnight, and I’d almost always sleep in late. I usually didn’t start hitting my stride each day until late afternoon.
But after a while I couldn’t ignore the high correlation between success and rising early, even in my own life. On those rare occasions where I did get up early, I noticed that my productivity was almost always higher, not just in the morning but all throughout the day. And I also noticed a significant feeling of well-being. So being the proactive goal-achiever I was, I set out to become a habitual early riser. I promptly set my alarm clock for 5AM…
… and the next morning, I got up just before noon.
Hmmm…
I tried again many more times, each time not getting very far with it. I figured I must have been born without the early riser gene. Whenever my alarm went off, my first thought was always to stop that blasted noise and go back to sleep. I tabled this habit for a number of years, but eventually I came across some sleep research that showed me that I was going about this problem the wrong way. Once I applied those ideas, I was able to become an early riser consistently.
It’s hard to become an early riser using the wrong strategy. But with the right strategy, it’s relatively easy.
The most common wrong strategy is this: You assume that if you’re going to get up earlier, you’d better go to bed earlier. So you figure out how much sleep you’re getting now, and then just shift everything back a few hours. If you now sleep from midnight to 8am, you figure you’ll go to bed at 10pm and get up at 6am instead. Sounds very reasonable, but it will usually fail.
It seems there are two main schools of thought about sleep patterns. One is that you should go to bed and get up at the same times every day. It’s like having an alarm clock on both ends — you try to sleep the same hours each night. This seems practical for living in modern society. We need predictability in our schedules. And we need to ensure adequate rest.
The second school says you should listen to your body’s needs and go to bed when you’re tired and get up when you naturally wake up. This approach is rooted in biology. Our bodies should know how much rest we need, so we should listen to them.
Through trial and error, I found out for myself that both of these schools are suboptimal sleep patterns. Both of them are wrong if you care about productivity. Here’s why:
If you sleep set hours, you’ll sometimes go to bed when you aren’t sleepy enough. If it’s taking you more than five minutes to fall asleep each night, you aren’t sleepy enough. You’re wasting time lying in bed awake and not being asleep. Another problem is that you’re assuming you need the same number of hours of sleep every night, which is a false assumption. Your sleep needs vary from day to day.
If you sleep based on what your body tells you, you’ll probably be sleeping more than you need — in many cases a lot more, like 10-15 hours more per week (the equivalent of a full waking day). A lot of people who sleep this way get 8+ hours of sleep per night, which is usually too much. Also, your mornings may be less predictable if you’re getting up at different times. And because our natural rhythms are sometimes out of tune with the 24-hour clock, you may find that your sleep times begin to drift.
The optimal solution for me has been to combine both approaches. It’s very simple, and many early risers do this without even thinking about it, but it was a mental breakthrough for me nonetheless. The solution was to go to bed when I’m sleepy (and only when I’m sleepy) and get up with an alarm clock at a fixed time (7 days per week). So I always get up at the same time (in my case 5am), but I go to bed at different times every night.
I go to bed when I’m too sleepy to stay up. My sleepiness test is that if I couldn’t read a book for more than a page or two without drifting off, I’m ready for bed. Most of the time when I go to bed, I’m asleep within three minutes. I lie down, get comfortable, and immediately I’m drifting off. Sometimes I go to bed at 9:30pm; other times I stay up until midnight. Most of the time I go to bed between 10-11pm. If I’m not sleepy, I stay up until I can’t keep my eyes open any longer. Reading is an excellent activity to do during this time, since it becomes obvious when I’m too sleepy to read.
When my alarm goes off every morning, I turn it off, stretch for a couple seconds, and sit up. I don’t think about it. I’ve learned that the longer it takes me to get up, the more likely I am to try to sleep in. So I don’t allow myself to have conversations in my head about the benefits of sleeping in once the alarm goes off. Even if I want to sleep in, I always get up right away.
After a few days of using this approach, I found that my sleep patterns settled into a natural rhythm. If I got too little sleep one night, I’d automatically be sleepier earlier and get more sleep the next night. And if I had lots of energy and wasn’t tired, I’d sleep less. My body learned when to knock me out because it knew I would always get up at the same time and that my wake-up time wasn’t negotiable.
A side effect was that on average, I slept about 90 minutes less per night, but I actually felt more well-rested. I was sleeping almost the entire time I was in bed.
I read that most insomniacs are people who go to bed when they aren’t sleepy. If you aren’t sleepy and find yourself unable to fall asleep quickly, get up and stay awake for a while. Resist sleep until your body begins to release the hormones that rob you of consciousness. If you simply go to bed when you’re sleepy and then get up at a fixed time, you’ll cure your insomnia. The first night you’ll stay up late, but you’ll fall asleep right away. You may be tired that first day from getting up too early and getting only a few hours of sleep the whole night, but you’ll slog through the day and will want to go to bed earlier that second night. After a few days, you’ll settle into a pattern of going to bed at roughly the same time and falling asleep right away.
So if you want to become an early riser (or just exert more control over your sleep patterns), then try this: Go to bed only when you’re too sleepy to stay up, and get up at a fixed time every morning.
Copied From: Steve Pavlina @StevePavlina.com
Saturday 2 August 2008
Wednesday 9 July 2008
DECISION (2)
Dear friend, to make sound decisions you must have intuition and you must use your intuition even after gathering all the facts. Dr Yongi Cho pastor of the largest church in the world based in Seoul South Korea made a remarkable decision many years ago. He had this deep conviction from God to expand their church facilities from ten thousand seats to fifty thousand seats but some people did not see it that way at all. They were pessimistic. In fact some elders and deacons left the church but Dr. Cho went ahead with his decision. And as soon as the expanded facilities were completed, they were filled to capacity. The church had grown.
The decision had been correct. I pray that God will give you inner eyes that you can see; inner eyes that can recognize opportunities; inner eyes that can recognize potentials; inners eyes that see things the way they could be not just the way they are. It is essential for accurate decision making.
Please pray to God for sensibility to your inner eyes and voice so that you may avoid pitfalls of wrong decision that could be fatal to your life.
Dear friend, this is the day to break free from procrastination. I ask you to make this vital decision today. Make up your mind now. Make up your mind to be successful. Make up your mind to stay with that marriage until it works. Above all, make up your mind to be close to God.
From my mentor:Rev Sam Adeyemi
The decision had been correct. I pray that God will give you inner eyes that you can see; inner eyes that can recognize opportunities; inner eyes that can recognize potentials; inners eyes that see things the way they could be not just the way they are. It is essential for accurate decision making.
Please pray to God for sensibility to your inner eyes and voice so that you may avoid pitfalls of wrong decision that could be fatal to your life.
Dear friend, this is the day to break free from procrastination. I ask you to make this vital decision today. Make up your mind now. Make up your mind to be successful. Make up your mind to stay with that marriage until it works. Above all, make up your mind to be close to God.
From my mentor:Rev Sam Adeyemi
Sunday 29 June 2008
Decision
On July 4, 1776, 56 men puts their signature on a document which they all knew would either bring freedom to all Americans or leave everyone of the 56 hanging from the gallows. Eventually, they did not die but their decision resulted in the birth of the United States of America . Their decision made history. The ability to make sound decisions is one of the significant qualities of successful people. Successful people reach decisions promptly and change them slowly if they change them at all.
Indecisive people are usually very slow in making decisions and they are usually in the habit of changing their decisions very quickly. We need courage like those 56 men to make decisions. The greater the courage required, the more the benefits we get from our decisions. Moreso, decision making in itself eventually builds courage in us. The results of sound decisions are usually very exciting; I encourage you to make your decisions and your decisions will turn around to make you.
When you cultivate the habit of making decisions you increase your possibility of success. Success invariably, is a matter of choices not a matter of chances. Heaven helps decisive people. God does not like lukewarm people. He does not like people who sit on the fence, you’ve got to make up your mind. I dare say that not making a decision is a decision. I believe that you are making the right decision today and our God will help you turn the decision into reality.
You will succeed!
From my mentor-Rev.Sam Adeyemi
Indecisive people are usually very slow in making decisions and they are usually in the habit of changing their decisions very quickly. We need courage like those 56 men to make decisions. The greater the courage required, the more the benefits we get from our decisions. Moreso, decision making in itself eventually builds courage in us. The results of sound decisions are usually very exciting; I encourage you to make your decisions and your decisions will turn around to make you.
When you cultivate the habit of making decisions you increase your possibility of success. Success invariably, is a matter of choices not a matter of chances. Heaven helps decisive people. God does not like lukewarm people. He does not like people who sit on the fence, you’ve got to make up your mind. I dare say that not making a decision is a decision. I believe that you are making the right decision today and our God will help you turn the decision into reality.
You will succeed!
From my mentor-Rev.Sam Adeyemi
Monday 25 February 2008
Focus On The Light And Create A Brighter Future
So many people feel like giving up these days, and I can't blame them. These are hard times for many of us. The one thing we must remember though, is that there is ALWAYS hope. Even in the darkest times, there can always be a little bit of light. This gives every one of us two choices:
1. We can get lost in the darkness and forget the small light or
2. We can concentrate and focus all of our attention on that small light.
Even if the past and the present are both filled with unhappiness and sadness, that doesn't mean that the future will be as well. Our past thoughts and feelings are part of what makes our present, and our present thoughts and feelings will create our future. If it seems like that nothing goes our way, time and time again, then perhaps we've been "lost in the darkness". If we can go back and look at the happy times in our lives, as well as find gratefulness for the good things we have now (even if it seems like there's not many), then we will be choosing option number two. We will be focusing on that small light. When we put all of our thoughts and hope on that small amount of light, it can open the doors to a more wonderful future. The more we remember that small light, and the more thankful we are for it, the bigger and brighter that light will become. We must all take a look at our pasts, and try to think of all the good things that have happened, even in the most dire of situations. Think of all the good things happening to us now, even if it doesn't seem like much. By focusing on the small good things, we are focusing on that small light. The more grateful we are for the good things, the more the light will grow and the brighter our future will be. Try spreading that light out over all the darkness. Try spreading the hope out over all the despair. The more we overlook that small light, the more lost in the darkness we will become.
I know that many times it seems like the entire world is against us. I feel that way myself many times. I always try to remind myself that the world won't be against me forever, some day the light inside of me will grow stronger and greater than anything in this world. This is true for all of us. That little light, no matter how small, can become more powerful than the entire world as long as we believe in it. If we want to change the world, we have to first change ourselves. We must first believe in that light inside of us.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Deskins
1. We can get lost in the darkness and forget the small light or
2. We can concentrate and focus all of our attention on that small light.
Even if the past and the present are both filled with unhappiness and sadness, that doesn't mean that the future will be as well. Our past thoughts and feelings are part of what makes our present, and our present thoughts and feelings will create our future. If it seems like that nothing goes our way, time and time again, then perhaps we've been "lost in the darkness". If we can go back and look at the happy times in our lives, as well as find gratefulness for the good things we have now (even if it seems like there's not many), then we will be choosing option number two. We will be focusing on that small light. When we put all of our thoughts and hope on that small amount of light, it can open the doors to a more wonderful future. The more we remember that small light, and the more thankful we are for it, the bigger and brighter that light will become. We must all take a look at our pasts, and try to think of all the good things that have happened, even in the most dire of situations. Think of all the good things happening to us now, even if it doesn't seem like much. By focusing on the small good things, we are focusing on that small light. The more grateful we are for the good things, the more the light will grow and the brighter our future will be. Try spreading that light out over all the darkness. Try spreading the hope out over all the despair. The more we overlook that small light, the more lost in the darkness we will become.
I know that many times it seems like the entire world is against us. I feel that way myself many times. I always try to remind myself that the world won't be against me forever, some day the light inside of me will grow stronger and greater than anything in this world. This is true for all of us. That little light, no matter how small, can become more powerful than the entire world as long as we believe in it. If we want to change the world, we have to first change ourselves. We must first believe in that light inside of us.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Deskins
Saturday 23 February 2008
Positive Thinking-Keys to combating Mental Wars and Negativity
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there are some truths to this fact. There is an invisible force at work that hinders the mind in its ability of bear good fruit in terms of public speaking. Yet, the fact remains, It is your thoughts which determines your past, present, and future, not the person sitting across from you, or the that stranger you have always suspected to have an evil eye toward you. Likewise, just like a computer's hard drive (HDD), whatever you save or program the machine to do, it will do just that, nothing else. Whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap (Gal. 6:7)...Junk in, junk out! Therefore, we cannot expect to reap corn in a bed of roses; we cannot sow evil and expect good; we cannot hang around people with ill-intent and expect our disposition to remain wholehearted. Hence, one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. If you think negative about yourself and others, do not expect anything positive to happen. If your thoughts are:
• I don't think people want to hear me speak
• I don't even sound like a speaker
• I'm no Dr. King, who am I fooling?
All these are negative enforce and re-enforcements. In so saying, what makes you think that your body will do any different than what you have told it to do? It will not. But still, you might say, well, what about sickness and diseases? Well, what about them? Truth be told, you are what you eat, and you become what you practice. But, tell your mouth to speak those things which are not as though they were (Romans 4:17) and see what happens.
Many people including me at one time or another, used to believe that I would be lying to myself and others if I said those things which are not as though they actually are. It turns out that, the earth was formed by this same principle. The fact is, you are not lying or misleading yourself. What you are actually doing is observing your current circumstances, choosing not to accept them, and recreate your environment based on what you would like it to be. Hence, you are basically saying the following:
No to all the negatives, but yes to all the positives
No to fears, but yes to challenges
No to impossibilities, but yes to possibilities
No to sight, but yes to faith
No to failure, but yes to success
Ultimately, you are saying No to death, but yes to life.
It doesn't matter who you are, or from what walks of life you've ventured, we are all susceptible to negative impulses; however, it is the way in which we process, internalize and then manifest the information that makes the difference. Ten people can be in the same environment, yet still different; not because they are differentiated by race, religion, or culture, only thinking makes it so.
As you are now more acquainted with some of the reasons why our minds become so inundated with information, and many of which are not conducive to healthy living. I have mentioned only some of the problems, but let us zoom in on what is more important, some artillery, ammo, and some battle-ready must-knows. Frankly, there's enough evil in the world to build one hundred more like itself.
Meanwhile, in addition to negative impulses, it is often said that the devil is "real," while others believe that he is a figment of the believer's imagination- -not so. That lucifer, the devil, the defeated never-to-reign-again, foot-loose antagonist uses the minds of individuals as his play ground. Those impulses, which are mostly negative, are highly dependent upon your ability to either, accept or refute them. There is no mystery in this factual statement. First, the bible says, the devil is "like," not is, but is like a roaring lion, seeking whomever (this could be anyone, and not necessarily you) he "may" devour. Truth, he has specific duties, and they are: to kill, steal, and to destroy. He does this because he is mad at our heavenly father for choosing us over him, and he will not rest until he has accomplished his mission.
Also, we must be mindful that we do not blame the devil for our every ill-productive whims that exalts themselves and lead astray. Far too many times, Christians blame the devil for their misfortune. Some exclaim, "The devil made me do it--it's the devil I tell you!" Bottom line, that is a far cry from the truth, and we frequently blame the enemy, when in fact, it is the "inner-me" that is to be blamed. Yes, the devil may have told you to do a lot of things including, (rob, kill, steal andhate) but it was you who carried out the action. Indeed, he may say that you are ugly, and are worthless and will not amount to anything good, but no one forced you to believe it. Let's be real, not everyone that approaches you on the street with gold watches for sale you purchase; no, you first think about it and then make a conscious decision whether or not to buy. Likewise, the devil uses the same tactics. He sells and then hopes you fall for the "today's special" on evil sale and buy into it. You don't have to go out like that; turn your back on evil and live (I hope you saw the connection...the reverse of evil is live). In the end, you are responsible for your own actions. Voices should not stop you from choosing right over wrong, peace over war, love over hate, and life over death- -accountability is the key to making choices conducive to having a healthy life and a fruitful state of mental harvest.
Andrew Guy is a freelance writer, motivational speaker, an hilarious stand-up comic, and father of one. In the past he's also been a television comedy show writer. For guest appearances and other services, check out his website at http://www.datphunnyguy.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Guy
• I don't think people want to hear me speak
• I don't even sound like a speaker
• I'm no Dr. King, who am I fooling?
All these are negative enforce and re-enforcements. In so saying, what makes you think that your body will do any different than what you have told it to do? It will not. But still, you might say, well, what about sickness and diseases? Well, what about them? Truth be told, you are what you eat, and you become what you practice. But, tell your mouth to speak those things which are not as though they were (Romans 4:17) and see what happens.
Many people including me at one time or another, used to believe that I would be lying to myself and others if I said those things which are not as though they actually are. It turns out that, the earth was formed by this same principle. The fact is, you are not lying or misleading yourself. What you are actually doing is observing your current circumstances, choosing not to accept them, and recreate your environment based on what you would like it to be. Hence, you are basically saying the following:
No to all the negatives, but yes to all the positives
No to fears, but yes to challenges
No to impossibilities, but yes to possibilities
No to sight, but yes to faith
No to failure, but yes to success
Ultimately, you are saying No to death, but yes to life.
It doesn't matter who you are, or from what walks of life you've ventured, we are all susceptible to negative impulses; however, it is the way in which we process, internalize and then manifest the information that makes the difference. Ten people can be in the same environment, yet still different; not because they are differentiated by race, religion, or culture, only thinking makes it so.
As you are now more acquainted with some of the reasons why our minds become so inundated with information, and many of which are not conducive to healthy living. I have mentioned only some of the problems, but let us zoom in on what is more important, some artillery, ammo, and some battle-ready must-knows. Frankly, there's enough evil in the world to build one hundred more like itself.
Meanwhile, in addition to negative impulses, it is often said that the devil is "real," while others believe that he is a figment of the believer's imagination- -not so. That lucifer, the devil, the defeated never-to-reign-again, foot-loose antagonist uses the minds of individuals as his play ground. Those impulses, which are mostly negative, are highly dependent upon your ability to either, accept or refute them. There is no mystery in this factual statement. First, the bible says, the devil is "like," not is, but is like a roaring lion, seeking whomever (this could be anyone, and not necessarily you) he "may" devour. Truth, he has specific duties, and they are: to kill, steal, and to destroy. He does this because he is mad at our heavenly father for choosing us over him, and he will not rest until he has accomplished his mission.
Also, we must be mindful that we do not blame the devil for our every ill-productive whims that exalts themselves and lead astray. Far too many times, Christians blame the devil for their misfortune. Some exclaim, "The devil made me do it--it's the devil I tell you!" Bottom line, that is a far cry from the truth, and we frequently blame the enemy, when in fact, it is the "inner-me" that is to be blamed. Yes, the devil may have told you to do a lot of things including, (rob, kill, steal andhate) but it was you who carried out the action. Indeed, he may say that you are ugly, and are worthless and will not amount to anything good, but no one forced you to believe it. Let's be real, not everyone that approaches you on the street with gold watches for sale you purchase; no, you first think about it and then make a conscious decision whether or not to buy. Likewise, the devil uses the same tactics. He sells and then hopes you fall for the "today's special" on evil sale and buy into it. You don't have to go out like that; turn your back on evil and live (I hope you saw the connection...the reverse of evil is live). In the end, you are responsible for your own actions. Voices should not stop you from choosing right over wrong, peace over war, love over hate, and life over death- -accountability is the key to making choices conducive to having a healthy life and a fruitful state of mental harvest.
Andrew Guy is a freelance writer, motivational speaker, an hilarious stand-up comic, and father of one. In the past he's also been a television comedy show writer. For guest appearances and other services, check out his website at http://www.datphunnyguy.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Guy
Sunday 20 January 2008
The Power of Concentration
We fail in what we do most times not because we don’t know what to do but because we belittle the power Of concentration.
Concentration simply is the power of giving undivided attention to something.
Watch an expert and an inexpert worker attempting the same job.The former concentrates on his work while the latter concentrates on his effort to concentrate.At the end of the day,the blessing of the former will surpasses the latter.
If you concentrates ,you achieve a goal with ease,if not, you achieve next to nothing.
When you are not concentrating,your mind wanders and therefore affects your enthusiasm for the job at hand.
Lack of concentration makes you work more with less results.
Concentration is the oil that makes the wheels go round.
Get the power of concentration.You can concentrate and achieve yet again.
Read more on concentration here next time.Best lo luck
Concentration simply is the power of giving undivided attention to something.
Watch an expert and an inexpert worker attempting the same job.The former concentrates on his work while the latter concentrates on his effort to concentrate.At the end of the day,the blessing of the former will surpasses the latter.
If you concentrates ,you achieve a goal with ease,if not, you achieve next to nothing.
When you are not concentrating,your mind wanders and therefore affects your enthusiasm for the job at hand.
Lack of concentration makes you work more with less results.
Concentration is the oil that makes the wheels go round.
Get the power of concentration.You can concentrate and achieve yet again.
Read more on concentration here next time.Best lo luck
Wednesday 2 January 2008
From my friend,Joel Comm-You too can make it online in 2008.
This is your time!
There is MORE opportunity online than ever before, but you HAVE to
seize the opportunity and take action!
What does that mean for you in 2008?
Here is a list of Top 10 Internet Business Resolutions for 2008.
I have personalized the list to first person, so repeat after me...
1) I will clearly define what I want my Internet business to look
like in one year and set specific attainable goals to make it
happen. (You can't get where you are going without a roadmap, so
chart it out)
2) I will follow those who have succeeded, emulate their successes
and learn from their mistakes. (We all need mentors. Be sure you
are following people who have honestly and ethically found success)
3) I will stay focused and not get distracted by all the "bright
shiny objects" (Just because an ebook, course or software product
is great, doesn't mean it is going to help in your specific
business. Be discerning!)
4) I will use the product I have purchased before buying anything
else. (Do you have unread ebooks? Read 'em! Unused software?
Use it! Unwatched DVDs? Put them in the DVD player!)
5) I will prioritize networking relationships with others in my
industry, as it is people and not websites that make my business
successful. (This is the secret to my success...)
6) I will make every effort to attend at least one Internet
marketing live event in 2008. (And this is where I discovered the
secret to my success!)
7) I will wisely invest time and money in my business. (If you
aren't willing to make sacrifice, you probably aren't going to
achieve your goals)
8) I will THINK BIG! (The opportunity is seemingly endless. Don't
be satisfied with small successes... go for it!)
9) I will not give up! (Nothing happens without action. Never stop
taking action.)
10) I will pay it forward. (It is more blessed to give than to
receive, and I've found that when you help others it always comes
back to you with good stuff)
I hope you find these useful as you enter 2008.
visit for a freebie:
http://www.adsense-secrets.com/matt.html
There is MORE opportunity online than ever before, but you HAVE to
seize the opportunity and take action!
What does that mean for you in 2008?
Here is a list of Top 10 Internet Business Resolutions for 2008.
I have personalized the list to first person, so repeat after me...
1) I will clearly define what I want my Internet business to look
like in one year and set specific attainable goals to make it
happen. (You can't get where you are going without a roadmap, so
chart it out)
2) I will follow those who have succeeded, emulate their successes
and learn from their mistakes. (We all need mentors. Be sure you
are following people who have honestly and ethically found success)
3) I will stay focused and not get distracted by all the "bright
shiny objects" (Just because an ebook, course or software product
is great, doesn't mean it is going to help in your specific
business. Be discerning!)
4) I will use the product I have purchased before buying anything
else. (Do you have unread ebooks? Read 'em! Unused software?
Use it! Unwatched DVDs? Put them in the DVD player!)
5) I will prioritize networking relationships with others in my
industry, as it is people and not websites that make my business
successful. (This is the secret to my success...)
6) I will make every effort to attend at least one Internet
marketing live event in 2008. (And this is where I discovered the
secret to my success!)
7) I will wisely invest time and money in my business. (If you
aren't willing to make sacrifice, you probably aren't going to
achieve your goals)
8) I will THINK BIG! (The opportunity is seemingly endless. Don't
be satisfied with small successes... go for it!)
9) I will not give up! (Nothing happens without action. Never stop
taking action.)
10) I will pay it forward. (It is more blessed to give than to
receive, and I've found that when you help others it always comes
back to you with good stuff)
I hope you find these useful as you enter 2008.
visit for a freebie:
http://www.adsense-secrets.com/matt.html
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