I'm a morning person: if I don't get up, put the coffee on and

"I'm a morning person: if I don't get up, put the coffee on and get to my desk by 8, the day has already lost a lot of its promise." In these words, Jennifer Gilmore speaks to the power of routine and the profound impact of the early hours on shaping the day. Her declaration reveals that the morning, often seen as a mere transition from sleep to wakefulness, is, in fact, a crucial foundation for success, productivity, and mental clarity. By starting the day with intention, Gilmore emphasizes the importance of structure in the pursuit of purpose and achievement.

In the ancient world, the morning was not just a practical matter of getting out of bed, but a sacred time—a space where spirituality, reflection, and action could align. The Greeks understood the power of the early hours. In Homer's Iliad, the gods and heroes often rose at dawn, with the first rays of the sun symbolizing both renewal and strength. For them, the morning was a time for preparation before engaging in the day’s tasks, whether it was battle or thought. This understanding of the morning as the beginning of the day's promise aligns with Gilmore's assertion that if the morning is lost, much of the day's potential is lost with it.

Consider Socrates, whose routine included morning walks and discussions with his students. These early hours, spent in contemplation and intellectual pursuit, were the cornerstone of his philosophy. Socrates recognized that starting the day with intention set the tone for his intellectual work and the development of his thoughts. He didn’t waste time waiting for the day to unfold; instead, he sought to shape it with purpose. Much like Gilmore, who rises with the knowledge that the day’s potential lies in her hands, Socrates embraced the morning as an essential part of his intellectual journey.

In modern history, Benjamin Franklin, one of the great minds of the Enlightenment, lived by a daily schedule that emphasized morning productivity. Franklin’s famous question, “What good shall I do this day?” encapsulates his commitment to morning intention. Franklin’s life was built on structured habits, and his mornings began with a specific routine that included self-reflection, exercise, and preparation for the work ahead. Franklin’s morning was not simply about rising early; it was about setting the foundation for the day, much as Gilmore does by beginning her day with a deliberate commitment to action.

Gilmore's commitment to being at her desk by 8 am speaks to the larger idea of ownership over one's time and energy. In the same way Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, began each day with meditations on virtue and duty, Gilmore’s routine is a declaration of discipline—a commitment to the pursuit of her craft and purpose. Aurelius believed that the quality of each day was determined by how well one prepared in the morning, and how firmly one held to their principles throughout the day. In the same vein, Gilmore embraces the morning as a chance to ground herself in intentionality before the world’s distractions take hold.

The lesson in Gilmore’s words is simple: how we start our day often determines how we navigate the rest of it. The morning is a moment of power, where we can choose to shape our attitudes, our productivity, and our engagement with the world. Rising early, setting a routine, and dedicating time to the most important tasks help us channel the energies of the day into meaningful action. In the same way the ancients practiced discipline and reflection in the early hours, we too can use the morning to create a foundation for success.

In our own lives, we must consider the morning ritual as an opportunity to align ourselves with our values, our goals, and our purpose. Gilmore’s words invite us to create a structured morning that sets the tone for the rest of the day. Whether through exercise, meditation, writing, or simply a quiet moment of reflection, the first hours of the day offer the chance to decide what kind of day we want to have. By setting the intention early, we can cultivate clarity, focus, and energy to move through the day with purpose, just as the ancients did in their time of quiet reflection.

Let us embrace the wisdom of the morning, not as a passive time of waiting for the day to unfold, but as a deliberate start to our lives. Like Gilmore, we can choose to shape our days with the first step in the morning, using it to create the momentum and focus necessary for a productive, fulfilled life. In this way, we can approach each day with intention, allowing the morning to be a true reflection of our commitment to purpose and growth.