Eat a live frog — David Odle, Trainer, Fitness Enthusiast, and Author

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” – Quote often attributed to Mark Twain, but it’s more likely from Nicolas Chamfort.

For some, rising early is their live frog.

Rising early is transformational. It aligns with building purpose.

Rising early requires discipline. That said, anyone can get up early and run out the door.

Think next level. Think accomplishment.

You need a consistent morning routine. Not the television, not surfing the web, and not scrolling social media. I recommend excluding anything electronic. Some people meditate, some pray, some exercise. Make it your own.

I keep my routine simple: I rise at 6 AM, make coffee, find a quiet place, pray, and read two bible chapters, and then I hand-write one journal page. Done.

A morning routine sets the tone for the day. Once completed, you’ve accomplished something productive, something valuable, and something difficult.

A good morning routine kickstarts the brain and the body.

Don’t start off too lofty. Like, avoid jumping right to a 4:30 AM alarm, running five miles, or something crazy. Hey, if you can do that, more power to you, but acting in extremes typically fails. Don’t watch a David Goggins video, get psyched, and blast out the gate like a maniac. Goggins is awesome, but you’re not Goggins. When your motivation dies down (and it will), can you maintain the routine?

Little sips. Challenge yourself but be realistic. Start small and work your way up. Perhaps start with a cup of coffee and read for 10-minutes before work. If you execute that simple routine every day, you will have read 10 books for the year!

If you stick with a routine, you won’t regret it.

Your effort, your choice, your life!

David Odle is a trainer, fitness enthusiast, and author. He spent seven years in the military, primarily in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is a Spartan Race competitor, an avid fitness fan, and a 5k enthusiast. David's mission is to help people transform into better versions of themselves by tapping into their dormant capability. If you’d like David’s help, you can find him at www.davidodle.com.