Good morning! Look, we get it — not all of us are early risers, despite Ben Franklin insisting it will make us “healthy, wealthy, and wise.” But no matter how groggy we are when those first rays of sunlight hit us, it’s helpful to remember that we’re the captains of our lives, and what we do in those early moments helps determine the course of our day.
What’s most beneficial for each of us will differ from person to person. Maybe you’ve found an early morning walk is the best way to kick your brain into high gear, or maybe you’re best served by turning off your phone and spending some time reading or in quiet contemplation.
Whatever your preferred routine, the act of simply having a consistent routine has been found to boost energy and productivity while reducing stress. In other words, there’s no better way to set ourselves up for success.
Read on for 20 quotes that will put you in the right mindset to tackle your day — and your life.
I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.Steve Jobs
Days are expensive. When you spend a day you have one less day to spend. So make sure you spend each one wisely.Jim Rohn
You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.John C. Maxwell
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.Janet Champ and Charlotte Moore
I’m always thinking about creating … I’m grateful and I can’t wait to wake up, because there’s something new to do and try every day. Every day I find something creative to do with my life.Miles Davis
A year from now, you will wish you had started today.Unknown
Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.Robert Kiyosaki
Our goal should be to get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually.Abraham Joshua Heschel
Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.Jack Kornfield
Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.Ralph Waldo Emerson
Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.William Blake
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.Eleanor Roosevelt
You know what happens when you say “hello” or “good morning”? You make a connection. And isn’t that what being human is all about?Philip Rosenthal
When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.Marcus Aurelius
Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it.Richard Whately
she woke up / every morning / with the option / of being anyone she wished / how beautiful it was / that she always chose / herselfTyler Kent White
To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.Anatole France
You can’t go back and make a new start, but you can start right now and make a brand new ending.James R. Sherman
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep.Rumi
That is just the point: how the world, moist and bountiful, calls to each of us to make a new and serious response. That’s the big question, the one the world throws at you every morning. “Here you are, alive. Would you like to make a comment?”Mary Oliver
Featured image credit: Mariia Masich/ Shutterstock
