Lying in bed in the black of night, I hear a subtle noise of vibration... With ninja-like reflexes, I quickly reach for my phone & turn off the alarm. (I gotta be fast so I don't wake up my wife, Sarah) What happens next is a daily occurrence...Like an old married couple, my stubborn brain argues with the body that getting up this early is not possible! Luckily the body swiftly wins that argument as my feet are on the ground within seconds and I'm moving... It's 4 AM & time for the day to begin!  I've got a few things waiting for me on the kitchen counter.   

1. My workout clothes  
2. A tall glass  
3. My pre-workout caffeine powder   

    A quick change of clothes & I fill the glass with water. I chug about 10 ounces & refill immediately...this time to mix in my workout powder.  Then, accompanied by my grape flavored, talcum powder-like, caffeine water, I plop onto the couch & enjoy about 10 minutes of silence... It's so peaceful & I'm so happy to be in the quiet and... CLICK CLACK CLICK CLACK CLICK CLACK!!!  In walks my 120-pound Labrador who decides he wants to keep me company.  Buster's steps tend to make a little more racket when is 4:15 AM.    3 QUICK TIPS FOR WAKING UP EARLY: 

1. Never hit snooze! The quicker you get moving, the better.
2. Drink a tall glass of cold water straight away. The inside of your body must work to warm that water up. Gets your blood pumping & your brain working! 
3. Get active! Workout, go for a run, take a walk... Anything! It'll keep you accountable for waking up & it’s great to get over with early.

My wife & 2 little girls wake up around 7. I use my time over the next few hours to workout, read my devotional, pray, do some various chores & make my family's breakfast before they wake up. It's basically a 3-hour marathon of productivity that has changed my life!    Why would anyone voluntarily wake up at 4 AM? It started when we had our 2nd daughter. Playing parent to 2 kids instead of one makes the entire day go by in a blink. You're always busy doing something & it feels like you accomplish nothing! After I got used to waking up that early, I noticed something interesting... The rest of my day was awesome! Accomplishing so much by 7 AM gave me this huge surge of confidence in other areas of my life! I was a better father, husband, DJ & most importantly... a better Christian.  I've got a very active brain & the world we live in is filled with distractions! Reading the Word & praying in the quiet of early morning really helps me listen to God... Or maybe it's just easier to hear Him? Not sure. Either way, I've come to rely on those early morning moments to set the table for my day. I can really feel him giving me a gentle nudge in the right direction. Oddly, He kind of makes me look forward to that 4 AM vibration.  Simple math: Wake up 3 hours early = Live 3 hours longer