My Internal Narrative (2013): "I don’t feel motivated." "I can’t do it." "I don’t know where to start." "I’m not in control."

That was me in 2013. I felt stuck. Overwhelmed. Directionless.

I was in pharmacy school, and a new fitness center had just opened less than a mile from my apartment. For years, I had let my physical strength slip, and I kept telling myself I wanted to "get back in shape." But like many things in life, wanting wasn’t enough. I knew I needed to commit. And not just casually.

So, I made a decision: I would attend the 5 a.m. class every day, before school started. That meant waking up at 4 a.m.—consistently.

It wasn’t easy, but it changed everything.

Here are 3 powerful lessons I learned about waking up early and doing something hard:
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1. Starting the Day with Something Hard Sets the Tone for Success: Getting out of bed in the dark when it's warm and cozy isn’t easy. But by doing something difficult first thing in the morning, I proved to myself that I was in control. That I could take action. That I wasn’t a victim of inertia. That mindset carried into every part of my day.
2. Consistency Beats Intermittency: At first, I told myself I’d go to the gym three times a week. But I struggled to wake up on those scheduled days. Oddly enough, it became easier when I committed to going every day. There was no mental negotiation—just action. Routine became momentum.
3. Discipline is the Skill that Fuels Everything: This wasn’t about getting ripped or hitting new PRs. It was about self-leadership. Waking up early and showing up for myself built discipline—and that discipline bled into everything else: my studies, my mindset, my relationships. It taught me that I do have control, even when life feels overwhelming.

Key Lesson: 

You don’t need to feel motivated to start. You just need to start. Try waking up early and doing something hard—something that stretches your will—and watch how it transforms not just your morning, but everything in life.

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