We’ve talked about being a battery charger and we’ve discussed being around the right people to boost your mood but we haven’t explored starting the day with the right attitude. There’s no escaping the importance of your first hour of the day. How you choose to wake up can determine how productive you are for the next 12-18 hours and the energy you have. It creates your mindset. You don’t have to be completely active that first hour, you just have to be positive, open, and engaged.

That’s #9 in David’s Sweet 16 Compass to Success: Create Your Own “Optimism and Hope” Routine. If you want to be great, your day must start with positivity. Wake up each day with the mentality you never have a bad day and today will not be an exception. Waking up is a refresh button. A new day is a gift. There is no “waking up on the wrong side of the bed.” It’s not an option, it does not happen. Set a routine to get you energized with a positive, healthy mind. Whether it’s a bowl of cereal and a fresh shower or the entire pre-workout energizing drink, running, yoga, 2 eggs and avocado toast, and dancing to some jams as you leave the house for the day. Whatever you need to do to feel good about the day ahead, do it.

How you spend the first hour of your day determines the quality of your next 24 hours. Are you going to hit snooze 13 times, have 10 minutes to get dressed and then be 8 minutes late to work? Or are you going to get up with that first alarm, have a good breakfast, get a workout in, and beat the sunrise to bring sunshine to your own day? Sounds cheesy but if happiness is self-driven and from within, your own optimism, hope, energy, and attitude are all self-derived, as well.

If you are a self-starter, you’re ahead of half the world. If you are a self-starter with a positive mindset, even better. You’re on your way to becoming great. And if that’s you, we want you on our team. Wake up early and send us your resume. Already have a job you’re pumped about? Perfect. Always remember this: wake up like you never have a bad day.