Waking Up Late = Poor People? Successful People Wake Up at 5 AM

"If you don't wake up early or if you don't wake up at 5 AM, you can't be successful"

There's actually a reason why the world's wealthy people have a habit or routine of waking up early. Some of them even wake up at 3 AM. It seems that the earlier you wake up, the more successful you'll be because you have more time to be productive. But if that's the case, why do many of us who are less successful still wake up late?

The Myth of Successful People Waking Up Early?

It turns out that the issue isn't about waking up early, because I myself am really lazy at 5 AM. It's not about the time or having more time to work, but the secret lies in what they do in the morning that 95% of others don't do.

There's an interesting aspect about people who wake up early, which I just read in the book "The 5 AM Club." It explains why successful people wake up at 5 AM. Although I find it hard to believe that waking up at 5 AM makes you successful. if you look at some of the great people out there, like Apple's CEO Tim Cook, who wakes up at 3:45 AM, Disney's CEO who wakes up at 4:00 AM, and Nike's CEO who wakes up at 4:45 AM, their habits are described in "The 5 AM Club" as being practiced by the minority 5% in the world. Even though everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, successful people are much more productive compared to those who just wake up and get ready for work each day.

I see that many YouTubers and other creators discuss this book, but they don't address the most important points. In my opinion, the reason people read this book is not just to find out why people wake up at 5 o'clock and what they do, but to understand the science behind how our brains work. If you read the book, it gives the impression that the majority of people in the world are being hindered by their own brains.We often hear the suggestion 'if you can't be successful, don't be successful!' So in this video, I will discuss the book The 5 AM Club but using my own interpretation, which is rarely discussed by others. I will start with Chapter 1.

1. The Ancient Brain

The Mastery Brain is a part of the brain that needs to be developed to enable people to have big dreams, be productive, step out of their comfort zones, take risks, and engage in high-level thinking and creativity. It can be considered as the Yin and Yang of the brain. On one hand, for so long, our lives as humans were designed around survival instincts. In ancient times, it was crucial to be cautious of predators and plan for the next day. However, times have changed. Nowadays, society demands us to focus on how we can grow and develop ourselves.

This minority part of the brain is vital because when we talk about the journey to success, there are components like growth—stepping out of the comfort zone and daring to take risks—and productivity. Everyone has the same 24 hours, yet some can achieve two to four times more output in the same amount of time. This book explains these two contrasting parts of the brain to educate readers on how to nurture the Mastery Brain to enhance its productivity compared to the other part of the brain.

Therefore, let's delve into Chapter 2.

2. WHY 5:00 AM?

I don't agree with the idea that people must absolutely wake up at 5:00 AM, because I myself don't wake up at 5:00 AM. I usually wake up around 6:00 AM. I typically exercise first and then make plans for my day. Most people think that waking up early gives them more time to work. In reality, that's why Indonesia is known as one of the earliest risers in Asia, yet we're not the most productive. The concept of the 5 AM Club isn't just about 5 AM itself.

Returning to the story of CEOs who wake up early, most of them do so to have personal time. In this book, this is referred to as having "less distractions." Successful people often need to stay ahead of others, hence the saying "the early bird gets the worm." However, their mistake isn't simply waking up early to work more, but rather building habits, as I mentioned earlier, that boost or warm up their mastery brain.

Imagine if, for instance, people started being productive every day at 9:00 AM or 10:00 AM, and when they enter the office, they immediately start chatting and checking emails. If the majority of us wake up, get ready quickly, and head straight to work, that's incorrect because, we immediately face challenges. The brain that responds immediately is the ancient brain. On the other hand, those who wake up before most people start working experience fewer distractions, enjoy a quieter environment, and have a sense of a head start. This way, we can stay ahead of others, aligning with how our brain functions.

How does our brain work? The Mastery Brain operates similarly to starting a car engine when it's cold during sleep. Starting it immediately won't be as effective as warming it up first. So actually, it's not just about waking up earlier than most people when they're about to work, and if, for example, waking up earlier but immediately starting work is just the same, it's a lie. Now, the secret is here; we're entering Chapter 3."

3. 20/20/20 Formula

To develop our mastery brain and achieve higher productivity than the majority, the book suggests waking up at 5:00 AM to gain a head start, with just one hour focusing on habits that strengthen our brains significantly. The concept of 20-20-20, based on their research, advocates dedicating 20 minutes each to exercise, self-reflection, and growth activities.

20 Minute Exercise

Starting with exercise upon waking, rather than eating, bathing, reading, or journaling, is crucial for optimizing brain function. This approach stems from understanding cortisol, the stress hormone; High levels of cortisol can hinder productive thinking. Morning exercise helps regulate cortisol levels by triggering the release of dopamine. Research indicates that individuals who exercise in the morning tend to maintain lower cortisol levels throughout the day. This initial warm-up primes our brains for increased fluidity in work and productive thinking. As a natural energy expenditure that induces sweating, exercise ultimately leaves us calmer and more focused.

20 Minute Self Reflection

This part is more to activate our mastery brain, self-reflection like the most recommended in this book is meditation or if you want to be more practical, journaling. Here, write down dreams, goals achieved, re-evaluate what things hinder my life now, the goal of this 20 minutes is that we really have to know ourselves here, our brain is like indirectly connecting ourselves and preparing for our next day, and indeed the activity in self-reflection is proven that anything we will do or anything that will enter our brain will be much easier to absorb.

20 Minute Grow

Here, simply, don't jump straight into work, don't immediately do things that require intense focus. In the last 20 minutes, we actually nourish our minds. These are our learning moments, reading news, books, listening to podcasts, or watching videos—it's all up to you. But the essence in this third phase is that when our body and mind are already primed, we input things that are much easier to absorb compared to our daily routine. And if, for example, after finishing the 20-20-20 routine, we still have the remaining 8 to 10 hours of our day, we can then expend energy on doing something productive for work.

The key point here is not just about waking up at 5:00 AM, as if the number 5 has some sacred significance. It's like our own personal battle drum isn't set to 5:00 AM, but science shows that every successful person or someone looking to grow needs dedicated time to ignite their Master Brain activation and always have time for what's called Me Time with fewer distractions. But it can seem like all theory. How do you actually do all this? I explain it simply in Chapter 4 of the Habit Protocol. 

4. The Habit Protocol

Because we can't just read something and immediately do it and change our lives, it doesn't work like that. When you start something, you have to understand its science or its template. How do these people seem to effortlessly accomplish it? It's a long journey because they've already built long-term habits. So, here's how it works: you prepare for 66 days, a number of days that has been proven. If you do this for 66 days, you're likely to be able to do it for years to come. 

Phase 1, I call Destruction. You do something not to form a new habit but to kill the old habit. For example, waking up, whether at 5:00 AM, 6:00 AM, or 7:00 AM, the first 22 days will be quite tough. Why? The goal isn't just to consistently wake up early but to kill the habit of waking up late, like at 8:00 AM or 9:00 AM, rushing straight to the office. 

Phase 2, is the integration phase. This is like a war between the new habit and the old habit. For some, this phase is even harder than Phase 1, and usually people start giving up. But if you're at this stage, my advice is, for example, by day 25 or day 30, you should know that once you enter 

Phase 3, installation, the habit truly installs in our brains. Here we have a little resistance. We start feeling the benefits. What are these benefits? Oh, I feel it. Oh, this strategy is better. Oh, this feels nicer. Only at the end of Phase 3, at 66 days, will the habit be able to last long term. 

And yes, it's true. Everyone says that the hardest part of the job is consistently developing disciplined habits to be consistent. But what's your conclusion? Is the 5 AM Club just for focusing on waking up at 5:00 AM because most people don't wake up at 5:00 AM? But to be successful, we need to see what successful people do that ordinary people don't. It turns out, it's not about waking up early to work more or have more time, but to have a time where there are no distractions from work and have time for ourselves. It's really important. After hearing all this, are you interested in consistently waking up earlier? Have you been waking up early without that ritual? Leave your answer below this article. see you and good luck.