Killing Your Monster Before Breakfast
This morning, I awoke in the presence of a horrible, terrible monster in my bedroom.
I could feel him before I opened my eyes, feel his hot breath drifting across the room. I knew he’d be there… After all, he’s there every morning. Why would today be any different? His eyes glimmered in the dim light, and his head craned and swerved trying to see if my eyes had opened yet. He was ready for me, and I was ready for him.
This is my monster. His name is Slog, and he’s a beast to be reckoned with. If I’m not careful, he’ll ruin my day before it even starts. His strategy is simple and predictable… but left unchecked, it works every time:
- First, he goes after my energy.
- Second, he tackles my clarity.
- If he gets that far, he can toss my creativity out the window.
- Finally, he lowers the axe on my leadership abilities…
And then I’m toast.
Head-on
I’ve learned that the best way to deal with my personal monster is to run at him, intentionally and with determined purpose, before the sun comes up. If I wait until later in the day to defeat him, he’s much, much stronger, and I’m much weaker. Here’s my secret to being an intentional leader and creative:
Every morning, get out of my own way to make sure the best version of me is the one that shows up to work. I go through a short, special Slog-slaughtering ritual.
- Reflect. I start my day with a cup of coffee and a round of meditation, opening myself up to the best that today has to offer. It’s essential to start your mind off with plenty of elbow room.
- Write. It helps me to clarify my thoughts, to lead effectively, and to give back to others who are starting out. Beginning my day by giving back helps to set my daily tone for creative leadership.
- Run. This protects my body, elevates my mood, and starts the day with a great dose of mood-balancing endorphins.
- Refresh. Regardless of what you did in college, the real world doesn’t respond well to an unshowered, unslept, unshaven creative.
And then I start my day.
Limited-information Diet
It’s important to note that I’m limiting my incoming information during this period. I’m not reading (books, RSS, or otherwise), I’m not checking my email, and I’m not playing around on Twitter or Google+. This is because we humans can only really do one thing at a time.
Processing information and creating are two different directions to move, and it’s not possible to direct your day with purpose and intention if you’re checking up on Aunt Sally’s hernia on Facebook. Choosing to be a clear, clarified thought-leader doesn’t happen by worrying about what the world has to say about what happened yesterday.
Do I read? Of course. Leaders read, and readers lead. People never grow, except for the people they meet and the books they read… and so I go through a book every week or so. Do I do it in the morning, though? Only if I want to start the day off with less momentum and more to deal with.
Pulling a Semi
Have you ever seen a Strongman Contest on TV? They have this crazy competition where they hook a semi up to the man’s back, and then they tell him to move it. This is really hard at first. I get a hernia just watching it.
After the strongman gets a bit of momentum going, though, Newton’s first law kicks into effect, and momentum takes over. The truck continues to move more and more easily, based on how much he works in the beginning.
I would much rather get the hard labor out of the way in the morning, before the critical work starts, and that’s why I start my day off getting the momentum going as hard as possible.
Your Monster, Your Weapon
During your workday, what particular monkey do you find on your back during the critical times? How can you kill your monster before the day starts?