Why Waking Up At 3:30 am Everyday Will CHANGE YOUR LIFE (Try This For 7 Days!) | Tom Bilyeu

Waking Up Early and Attacking Your Day

Making the decision to get up early and really attack your day can change your life forever.
Go to bed at the same time every day and prioritize getting enough sleep.
After waking up, get yourself going immediately.

"Your life will change forever the moment that you decide to get up early and really attack your day."

The Negative Impact of a Lack of Routine

Without a routine, the speaker experienced a narrative towards depression.
Wasting four to five hours a day due to not having a set routine.
Feeling constantly tired because of irregular sleeping patterns.

"One, I was sliding towards depression because my life felt like it was completely out of control. Two, I was wasting four to five hours a day every day. Three, I spent my time tired all the time because I wasn't going to bed with intention."

Unproductive Snooze Button Habits

Irregular sleep schedules made it difficult to set a consistent wake-up time.
Using an alarm caused the speaker to wake up feeling terrible.
Snoozing the alarm repeatedly led to starting the day on the wrong foot.

"If I just let my body sleep then I was going to wake up whenever I was going to wake up and if I set an alarm even worse I was gonna wake up but feel terrible. Most of the time I had an alarm so I would just wake up feeling terrible and I would snooze the alarm and snooze the alarm and snooze the alarm."

The Benefits of a Structured Morning Routine

Implementing a structured routine changed everything for the speaker.
Going to bed at the same time every day and waking up without an alarm.
Having limited time to get out of bed and starting the day with purpose.

"When I started implementing rules in my life, then one, I was going to bed on time. Nine pm every day like it's a religion. I would wake up when I would wake up without an alarm, so I would actually feel refreshed. And then, I gave myself only 10 minutes to get out of bed."

Maximizing Time and Momentum

With a structured routine, the speaker was able to create momentum in their life.
Going to bed early and waking up early allowed for more productive hours.
Utilizing the morning to work or work out helps in achieving goals.

"Imagine the amount of momentum that you can create in your life when you act like that. So everything changed dramatically once I started putting those rules in life. I think it's like 3:34 P.M. in the afternoon. I've already worked a 12-hour day by the time that I'm recording this."

Working Smarter, Not Just Harder

Prioritizing skill acquisition is crucial for success.
A well-rested mind and body lead to cognitive optimization.
Maximizing the number of hours in a day by waking up early.

"You need to get sleep to have the energy and you need to get out of bed to get the time. If you're trying to accomplish something big in your life, I'm telling you just have to maximize all of the things that are at your disposal. And one of those things is just the number of hours in your day."

The Power of Morning Routine

Waking up early allows for fresh and sharp energy levels.
Working out first thing in the morning helps to get the "engine" turning.
The early morning hours are the most high-performance hours of the day.
Taking advantage of this time can help accomplish goals and stack skills.

"Once you understand that stacking skills is how you do something great, but stacking skills takes time, then you'll start putting the right rules in place in your life to make sure that you do the things that you need to do to be energized, get out of bed, and get after it."

Tom Bilyeu's Morning Routine

Tom wakes up between 3:30 and 4:30 a.m. without an alarm clock.
He immediately gets dressed in his gym clothes, grabs his dog, and feeds her breakfast.
Tom researches something while taking his dog downstairs and heading to the gym.
He works out for 30-45 minutes, focusing on weightlifting.
After working out, Tom meditates to slow his breathing and get into a calm state.

"Meditating is very important... I'm using the meditation time to actually see how rapidly I can slow my breathing down and get back into a calm and creative state."

The Importance of Cognitive and Energetic Optimization

Tom's morning routine is aimed at cognitive optimization and energetic optimization.
Cognitive optimization involves turning potential into a usable skill set and pursuing honorable goals.
Energetic optimization includes getting enough sleep, working out, and eating right.
Tom practices intermittent fasting and typically eats his first meal after 4-5 hours of waking up.
He delays eating for about 17-17.5 hours on average, including weekends and holidays.

"The whole point of life from my perspective is to turn your potential into a usable skill set, use that skill set in pursuit of honorable goals... but you have to be cognitively optimized, energetically optimized."

Starting the Day with Productivity

Tom begins his official work within an hour to an hour and a half after waking up.
He prioritizes his important things list, which includes tasks that move his goals forward.
Tom encourages attacking what matters most early in the day.
He tries to finish his important things list before going to bed to have a clear plan for the next day.
Tom takes meetings at 8:30 a.m., allowing for about 5 hours of focused productivity before the first meeting.

"Whatever matters most, you should be attacking early, early, early..."

Importance of Avoiding Snooze Button

Hitting the snooze button puts you on the backfoot and makes you feel tired throughout the day.
Getting enough sleep is crucial for your overall well-being.

"Not even once, that is how you end up on the back foot trying to make something happen in your day but you feel tired."

Get Enough Sleep and Set a Bedtime

Go to bed early to ensure you get enough sleep, even if it means going to bed ridiculously early.
Avoid getting too little sleep and constantly relying on the snooze alarm.

"You should be getting as much sleep as you can unless you are a parent with a newborn; I don't think there's any excuse for not getting enough sleep."

Creating an Evening Routine

Instead of needing time to unwind, find a method to shut your brain off before bed. Reading fiction or non-fiction books can help achieve this.
Avoid watching TV with blue light before sleep, as it can make falling asleep difficult.

"You need something to get your brain in a problem-solving mode if you put a book on, I fall asleep."

Optimizing Your Sleep Environment

Create a sleep-friendly environment by minimizing exposure to blue light from screens and avoiding stimulating activities like checking emails or social media before bed.
Ensure your sleeping environment is dark and free from distractions.

"Optimize so that you can fall asleep, get yourself in a position where you are actually going to be able to get out of problem-solving mode into relaxation mode."

Establishing a Morning Routine

Don't lay in bed or play on your phone after waking up. Instead, get out of bed and start your day with a routine.
Engage in activities that optimize your body and mind, such as exercising or meditating.

"Go straight to the gym. Do things that are going to optimize your body and mind."

Setting Honorable and Exciting Goals

Set goals that are meaningful and exciting to you, rather than chasing after what others think you should pursue.
Find something that you are amped up about and move towards it.

"You want to be moving towards something and not just away from something."

Avoiding Eating and Caffeine in the Morning

Give yourself a long window in the morning without eating to optimize your digestive system.
Delay caffeine consumption until after the sun has come up and make sure it is at least 7 A.M.

"Be very thoughtful about leaving that gap. I have my first meal about four to five hours after I wake up."

"I don't want to be beholden to any exogenous substance to get me up and going. I have found that going and working out is far more impactful to elevating my energy levels."

Avoiding Supplements and Exogenous Substances

Tom is skeptical of taking exogenous substances and does not regularly take supplements.
He encourages others to do their own research and make their own decisions about supplementation.

"I'm just inherently skeptical about taking exogenous substances...do the research and make a decision on your own."

Strategies to Crush Your Goals and Gain Control of Your Time

Achieving career goals requires going the extra mile and doing hard things better than anyone else.
Tom has created a list of 10 impactful things that high achievers should do to 100x their efficiency.
These strategies will not only help you gain control of your time but also propel you towards your next big goal.
The list can be downloaded for free by clicking the link in the video description.

"The truth is hitting your career goals is not easy...10 steps that will 100x your efficiency...download it for free."

Taking Control of Your Morning for Maximum Effect

Tom avoids certain things in the morning to optimize himself cognitively and avoid relying on external substances.
He focuses on getting to work on things that matter and minimizing distractions.
By taking control of your morning, you can set the tone for the rest of the day and increase overall effectiveness.

"All of it is designed to cognitively optimize myself...that is how you take control of your morning and really get effect."

Overcoming Struggles in Waking Up Early

Struggling to wake up early despite wanting to and knowing the importance of it comes down to two main things.
The first is your night routine and ensuring you get enough sleep by going to bed on time.
Fatigue can significantly impact motivation, making it harder to get up and face the day.
The second thing is the lack of intense desire for the goal you are pursuing.
Desire is a process that can be built by explaining to yourself why that thing matters to you and embodying enthusiasm for it.

"This comes down to two things...making sure that you're getting to bed on time...and the lack of intense desire."

Importance of Sleep Routine

Establishing a consistent sleep routine is crucial for improving sleep quality and waking up easily.
Stretching the period between eating and going to bed can improve sleep quality.

"You will sleep better the longer that you stretch that period out."

Individual Variability in Diet

The effect of carbohydrates on sleep varies from person to person.
Consuming carbohydrates that are not high in sugar may promote better sleep.
Experimenting with different foods and meal timings is important to find what works best for individual sleep patterns.

"If I have something that doesn't spike my glucose massively... I actually will sleep better."

Disruptive Eating Habits

Eating within an hour or 90 minutes before bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep.
Being thoughtful about meal timing and avoiding late-night eating is important for better sleep.

"Most people eat within an hour, maybe 90 minutes before they go to bed, that's going to disrupt your sleep massively."

Importance of Accountability

Holding oneself accountable is crucial for successfully waking up early.
It's important to want the desired outcome and have a strong motivation for it.

"Once you get all of that down and you hold yourself accountable to doing all of this stuff, then I think you're going to find getting up is very easy."

Setting Standards and Holding Yourself Accountable

Having personal standards and sticking to them is essential for personal growth.
Feeling upset with oneself for not meeting the standards can be a powerful motivator.
Rewarding and punishing oneself can support accountability.

"You have to have standards [...] I'm angry with myself if I don't get out of bed in 10 minutes or less."

Self-Reflection and Honesty

Reflecting on one's actions and being honest about shortcomings is key to personal growth.
Holding oneself accountable should be done with the intention of improvement, not self-deprecation.
Recognizing the impact of one's choices on their own life is crucial.

"My life is an exact reflection of my choices, and I made my day a little bit worse by not doing what I said I was going to do."

Bouncing Back and Rewarding Oneself

Quickly bouncing back from setbacks is important for maintaining motivation.
Admitting mistakes and taking ownership allows for self-improvement.
Rewarding oneself for getting back on track is a positive reinforcement.

"When you get back on track and you say 'okay cool,' this happens to me all the time... I didn't make it today, I like to hold myself accountable, and I feel good when I hold myself accountable."

Importance of Night Routine

Establishing a proper nighttime routine is crucial for waking up early.
Starting the routine early in the day can contribute to better sleep.

"The most important thing that you can do to wake up early is to get your night routine on point."

"What I found was the number one thing that disrupted my sleep was I would wake up in the middle of the night."

How to improve sleep hygiene

Stop drinking water in the late afternoon or evening.
Stop eating food earlier to elongate the intermittent fasting window and reduce water extraction from food.
Have the last meal around 1:15 PM and finish chewing by 2 PM.
Avoid drinking water from 2 PM until bedtime.
Ensure a minimum of three hours of not eating before going to bed for digestion.
Avoid blue light three hours before bedtime by wearing blue-blocking glasses, using night mode on the computer, and dimming lights.
Avoid stressful work at least an hour before bed.

"I thought if I just stop drinking water in the late afternoons or the evening, I should be fine. That didn't work. Then I realized, ah, this is a food problem."

Creating a routine for better sleep

Finish all food intake three hours before going to bed.
Avoid blue light three hours before bedtime by wearing blue-blocking glasses, using night mode on the computer, and dimming lights.
Avoid stressful work at least an hour before bed.

"No matter what, whether you have trouble with peeing at night or not, you want to make sure that starting three hours before you go to bed, you finished all of your food intake. That's really important."

Relaxing activities before bed

Do activities that are predictable and less stressful later in the evening.
Choose activities that are not problem-solving or stressful, such as preparing for an episode.
Engage in activities that put your brain in a different mode, like reading fiction or non-fiction.

"I keep working up until I go to bed at nine. As I get later into the evening, I do things that are far more predictable and less stressful."

The role of headphones and books in falling asleep

Put headphones in and read a book right as you go to bed.
Choose long books to ensure you won't be woken up in the middle of the night.
Select books that don't require active learning and are interesting enough to put the brain in a certain zone.
Use research or biographies as go-to options for reading in bed before sleep.

"I put headphones in and I begin reading a book right as I go to bed. It tends to be something where whether I get exactly to where I was or not, I can still get the gist."

Taping mouth for improved sleep

Tape the mouth closed to prevent breathing through the nose, which can dry out the throat and disrupt sleep.
Use mouth taping to avoid waking up with a dry throat.

"Taping my mouth, I'm able to sleep through the night much better. It really was a game changer. I highly recommend you guys try it."

The Importance of Sleep and Napping

Sometimes, when feeling tired, giving yourself permission to sleep or taking a short nap can be rejuvenating.
Napping can have varying effects, with some naps leaving you feeling refreshed and others making you feel groggy.
It is uncommon for the speaker to take naps, especially if they have only had five hours of sleep.
Napping before 7 A.M. is preferred to align with the body's natural sleep rhythms.

"I have found that sometimes even just letting myself go like that, even though I don't fall asleep for 10 or 15 minutes, can be extremely rejuvenating."

"I often find that it's like, man, the whole rest of the day just never feels like I quite get back on."

"The only time I will give myself a chance to take a nap is before 7 A.M. because remember, if I only got five hours of sleep, chances are I woke up around 2:30 ish."

Waking Up and Exercising

Get your gym clothes ready before going to bed.
Put on your gym clothes immediately after waking up, even if you're working out at home.
Working out in the morning helps optimize cognitive function.

"We're going to work out, we are going to get our blood pumping... because you're cognitively optimizing."

Working Out and Problem Solving

Studies show that tackling difficult problems immediately after working out is beneficial.
Doing hard workouts before challenging tasks can improve performance.

"Studies show that if you have a hard problem to solve, you want to tackle that hard problem immediately after working out."

Meditation

Sit down and meditate for about 20 minutes after working out.
The goal is to achieve a state of complete relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety.
Even a short period of distraction before meditation can be helpful.

"The goal of meditation is to just breathe... getting yourself in that calm creative state, no stress, no anxiety."

Cold Shower Challenge

Take a cold shower after meditation. The duration will depend on the climate and personal tolerance.
Cold exposure through showers has numerous benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects.
Stay in the shower until you start shivering uncontrollably.

"Expose yourself to the cold as long as you can possibly bear... get cold exposure after that."

Important Things List

Create an important things list and prioritize tasks that contribute to your goals.
Focus on making meaningful progress towards your goals.

"Work our way down the most important things that we can be doing in order to make meaningful progress towards our goals."

Intermittent Fasting

Practice intermittent fasting by extending the fasting period to around 16 hours.
Adjust the fasting period based on personal preference and lifestyle.

"16 hours of fasting is about right... push that to on average about 17 to 17 and a half hours."

Importance of personal discipline

Achieving big goals and reaching your potential requires doing difficult and stressful tasks consistently.
Developing personal discipline is not easy, but it pays off in the long run.
Being disciplined means compelling yourself to do challenging, boring, or even scary tasks.
Tom Bilyeu released a class called "How to Build Ironclad Discipline" that teaches the process of developing discipline.

"Achieving anything meaningful requires discipline."

Tips for building personal working habits

Construct your ideal life by breaking it into hours and segments.
Set rules for yourself to ensure you show up and work during designated times.
Score yourself at the end of each session to hold yourself accountable.
Find ways to be excited about what you're doing, such as embracing your why and embodying the feeling of excitement.
Use identity statements to reinforce the type of person you want to become.
Repeat the process consistently over time to build lasting habits.

"Break your life into different hours and segments, and build rules into your life that mandate you show up during those times."

"The reality is they just don't want it badly enough... and when you realize that, that's not an indictment on you as a person."

"I'm the type of person that shows up and works hard."

Waking up at 3:30 am and the process of doing hard things

Waking up at 3:30 am becomes second nature over time.
It's important to work the process and show up consistently, even if it's difficult.

"Doing hard things is critically important in terms of earning self-respect and building resilience."

Tom's experience with cold showers and water submersion

Tom did cold showers every day for 15 months before switching to water submersion.
He found cold showers to be challenging but mentally empowering.
Starting with a dry, entirely cold shower was the most difficult part.
Tom didn't find the warm shower-cold ending suggestion by Wim Hof to be as challenging.
Tom now does water submersion in his cold swimming pool, finding it more intense and enjoyable.

"There is something about entirely cold water submersion that is quite powerful, but I found it difficult to warm up after. I shifted my focus to submersion instead."

The importance of doing hard things and finding meaning in your goals

Doing hard things is crucial for building self-confidence and resilience.
It's essential to find a strong reason or purpose behind your goals to stay motivated.
Boredom can kill your dreams, so having a deep why is important for long-term commitment.

"Once you know why the goal matters, that's the thing that gives you meaning and purpose. It turns into a passion that allows you to keep going even when you're bored."

Tips for maintaining consistent productivity

Get excited about the goal and understand why it matters to you.
Embrace the grind and be prepared to do the work consistently.
Find strategies to overcome radical inconsistencies and minimize downfalls.

"Figuring out why you care enough about a goal is crucial, because when you have to keep grinding day after day, you really have to have a strong why."

Motivation and Setting Goals

Find something that you are passionate about and care enough to pursue.
Cultivate the fire within you by engaging with your interest and discussing it with others.
To stay motivated, attach your goal to a person or a cause that you deeply care for.
Fight for that person or cause to fuel your motivation and give you the energy to see it through.
"Something that pisses you off enough that it animates you to take action."

"I'm not prepared to live in a world where that's true. And now I'm going to show up every day and I'm going to fight."

Implementing Discipline

Discipline is the solution when motivation is lacking.
Attach the habit or discipline to your identity and create identity statements to reinforce your commitment.
Create hard and fast rules for yourself that leave no room for excuses or rationalizations.
Stick to these rules consistently, regardless of external factors.
"I get out of bed in 10 minutes or less every day, no matter what. No excuses."

"I have a hard and fast rule. There is no excuse to lay in bed. There is no rationalization. Nothing matters. It does not matter."

Quotes

"You can do anything you want in life, just not everything."

"Getting on fire about something, you're not born with that, you cultivate that fire."

"Motivation... it has to be something that you are on fire for."

"I'm the type of person that works so hard at something that people assume it's magic."

"Something that pisses you off enough that it animates you to take action."

"When you attach it to something that really matters... it becomes very easy for me to use identity statements."

"I get out of bed in 10 minutes or less every day, no matter what. No excuses."

Waking Up and Getting Out of Bed

It's important to get out of bed as soon as you wake up.
Don't hit the snooze button or delay getting out of bed.
Tom has a hard and fast rule of getting out of bed within 10 minutes.
Even if it's just 10 minutes and one second, he still gets out of bed.
Tom believes in being disciplined and not tolerating laziness.

"If the clock has ticked over to the 11th minute, I gotta drag myself out because I don't tolerate that myself."

Importance of Waking Up Early and Going to Bed Early

Tom used to lay in bed for four to five hours a day in his mid-20s.
Setting a specific wake-up time and going to bed early helped him change his routine.
Waking up early without setting an alarm has allowed Tom to achieve success.
Going to bed early ensures having enough rest before waking up.
Chronic fatigue can hinder productivity and goal achievement.

"Don't set an alarm, go to bed earlier...Living in this chronic state of fatigue prevents you from seeing things through."

Cellular Energy and Pushing Mitochondria

Tom believes that cellular energy is crucial for optimal performance.
Psychological energy can make you feel energized temporarily, but real cellular energy lasts.
Mitochondria are the power plants of the body and play a vital role in energy generation.
Taking care of your mitochondria ensures higher energy levels.
Factors like diet, exercise, and cold exposure can improve mitochondrial function.

"You have to deal with the realities of going through life in a body...if you're not eating right, not exercising, you will not be able to generate the ATP which makes you feel like you can go and conquer mountains."

Habits for Improving Energy Levels

Going to bed early and not setting an alarm is important for consistent wake-up times.
Exercising, especially weightlifting, can improve energy levels.
Cold exposure, such as cold showers, can boost mitochondrial function.
Maintaining a healthy diet with whole foods is essential for cellular energy.
Intermittent fasting and avoiding processed foods can enhance energy levels.

"You just cannot overestimate how big of a deal sleep, diet, and exercise make...It is life-changing, and it's the one thing most people aren't willing to do."

The Importance of Being Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

It's crucial to develop the habit of getting out of your comfort zone.
Being comfortable with discomfort allows you to grow and achieve your goals.
Don't let past struggles define your present and future.

"How can I become comfortable with being uncomfortable?"

Taking Control of Your Life

No one else can make the changes for you, you have to want it for yourself.
Find excitement and enthusiasm in pursuing your dream job.
Embrace rejection and keep pushing forward to achieve your goals.

"You've got to be in a place where you want it, you're excited about it."

Overcoming Biological Obstacles

The biology in your body may work against your weight loss efforts.
Fat cells and your microbiome influence your cravings and eating habits.
Understand that biological factors can be challenging, but not impossible to overcome.

"Your biology is going to mess with you, but that doesn't mean you can't overcome it."

The Choice is Yours

It's important to make peace with your current situation if it's a conscious choice.
Recognize that your life is a result of the choices you make.
Decide whether you want to continue on the same path or make a change.

"Don't be ashamed of it... Recognize that it is a choice."

The Simplest Way to Lose Weight

Eating whole foods, especially green leafy vegetables, can greatly contribute to weight loss.
Avoid processed foods and reduce sugar intake.
Commitment and determination are necessary to stick to a healthy eating plan.

"Eat whole food exclusively... Zero processed food, no crackers, cookies."

The Power of "Now What?"

Regardless of your circumstances, it's crucial to ask yourself, "Now what?"
Take ownership of your choices and decide how to move forward.
Even if the odds are against you, it's up to you to take action and make a change.

"Now what? What are you gonna do?"

Importance of Understanding Your Motivation

Decide on what you want to achieve and get excited about it.
It's essential to focus on your motivation to bring about change.
Don't waste time hating yourself or feel guilty; it's counterproductive.
Instead, concentrate on finding what truly drives you and embrace it.

"Focus on that, you got to focus on the motivation, you've got to get yourself in a position where you want the change."

Individual Motivations and Goals

Different people are motivated by different things, and that is completely okay.
Whether it's wanting to look good, be healthy, or feel strong, embrace your own motivation.
Don't let others shame you into thinking you have to have a specific reason.
Throughout history, many people have strived to look good and that's a valid motivation too.

"Don't let people shame you into thinking you have to do it for some specific reason because let me tell you, the vast majority of pounds that have ever been lost all throughout human history is about looking good in skinny jeans. That's just the reality."

Making Choices and Staying Focused

No matter how challenging something is, remember that you always have a choice.
Understand that pursuing your goals will require effort and dedicated focus.
Determine what you want to achieve, set rules, and put your energy into it.
Stay committed, push through difficulties, and don't be swayed by external influences.

"No matter how hard something is, you've got a choice. [...] Decide what it is you want to do and get [expletive] amped about it."

Taking Responsibility for Your Journey

It's crucial to want change for yourself and take responsibility for your own life.
Others can't want it for you; you must have the desire within.
Understand that you have the power to achieve whatever you want in life.
Take control, make choices, and believe that you can create your ideal life.

"But ultimately, as much as I wish I could want it for people, I cannot. You've got to want this for yourself, you have to take responsibility and know that you can get whatever you want."

The Impact of Habits and Routines

Our lives are a reflection of the choices we make, including the routines we establish.
Building good habits and following through on them can lead to a significant transformation.
Set rules, establish a routine, and align them with your identity and motivations.
Use any available tools and techniques to help you stay consistent with your desired changes.

"If you get the habits, the routines, the rules, the identity right, and you will have your ideal life."

"You can have any life you want, so go out, make it real."