I often get asked: How the hell do you find time to write every day?
The trick, for me at least, is to do it first thing in the morning. I get up early, prepare a bowl of cereal with fruit, make a single cup of coffee, and then sit down at my desk and read until something hits me. I like to do this before touching my inbox. It’s too easy to get sucked in once you start opening emails.
I am not naturally a morning person, but I find this approach works best for me. When I did my MBA a few years ago, I did it part-time through 7am to 9am classes. I really enjoyed that ritual of morning education before the office and so I try and replicate that experience with my blogging routine.
Some people like to workout in the morning, but I have never been great at that. I have more energy and I lift more when I work out in the afternoon or evening. I just wish I could find a gym that wasn’t so busy in the evenings.
What’s your morning routine?
Image: Snapped at Quantum Coffee last week
sunset drag by Philippe Clairo on 500px
I’m sitting in Calgary International Airport right now waiting for my flight back to Toronto. This marks the end of the 6th Penn Annual (our annual ski and snowboard trip). We all had an amazing time and I can’t wait until next year’s annual. We’ve already (pretty much) decided that it’s going to be in Park City, Utah.
As you can probably tell, I like traditions and routines. As boring as that might sound, I think there’s a lot of value in doing the same thing over and over again.
It’s why I do an annual ski and snowboard trip every February with some of my closest friends (to a mountain we’ve never been to before). It’s why I write something – no matter how short it might be – every day here on Architect This City. It’s why I lift weights 3-4 times every week. It’s why I’m interested in brand building (creating equity takes consistency and time). It’s why I love the permanence of real estate. And it’s also why I like dollar cost averaging when it comes to investing.
I guess you could say I like the long game. I enjoy having “disciplines.”
And that’s because I think there are very few substitutes for hard work and sustained efforts. We all love to talk about those overnight success stories, but in reality they’re often the farthest thing from overnight. I know that it takes time to get great at something. And I also know that I’m not always going to be right. But the simple act of not stopping can take you pretty far.
In any event, I hope you enjoyed all the mountain town talk (I have a few more ideas I want to write about) and my Snapchat stories (if you followed along). I got really into Snapchat on this trip. And that’s because I think the platform is at a tipping point where brands are going to start thinking of it as a legitimate marketing channel – and not just an app for teens.
Do you have any routines or disciplines? If so, feel free share them in the comment section below. Or if you hate routines, tell us why.
See you in Toronto :)