My dad gave me this advice: 'Make what you want to do for the

Hearken, O seekers of wisdom, and attend to the counsel of Connor McDavid, a young master of the ice, who recounts the words of his father: “Make what you want to do for the rest of your life the first thing you do in the day and then worry about hanging out with friends.” At first glance, this may appear a simple strategy for discipline, yet beneath it lies a profound meditation on purpose, prioritization, and the cultivation of greatness through deliberate action. The ancients understood this truth well: the rhythm of a day shapes the rhythm of a life, and the early ordering of effort lays the foundation for enduring achievement.

McDavid’s father begins with the principle of purposeful prioritization. By placing what one values most at the forefront of the day, one ensures that energy, focus, and intention are devoted to what truly matters. The Stoics taught similarly: Seneca counseled that life is long if we know how to use it, and that our hours must be dedicated first to virtue and meaningful work before distractions. To defer one’s purpose in favor of fleeting pleasure is to squander the gift of time, a treasure more precious than gold or fame.

The essence of this wisdom lies in the sacredness of deliberate practice. McDavid’s advice resonates far beyond the arena of sport. Leonardo da Vinci, who arose before dawn to sketch, study anatomy, and contemplate the heavens, understood that mastery demands focus when the mind is fresh, and courage to confront the work that shapes a life. Greatness, whether in art, science, or leadership, is forged not in idle hours, but in the quiet, disciplined attention to one’s highest calling.

Yet McDavid’s words also illuminate the balance between duty and desire. The pursuit of excellence is not a call to solitude alone, but a structured devotion: first, invest in what will define your legacy; later, embrace the joys of companionship and leisure. Alexander the Great, tutored by Aristotle, disciplined his mind and body in the hours before triumphs on the battlefield, yet also knew the value of fellowship with comrades. Purpose and pleasure, action and connection, must coexist in measured harmony.

This guidance also speaks to the power of habit in shaping destiny. By beginning each day with one’s deepest intention, the mind and body are trained to respond with vigor, focus, and creativity. Consider Benjamin Franklin, whose morning questions—“What good shall I do this day?”—set the tone for a life of innovation, civic engagement, and lasting influence. Small, deliberate acts, repeated with fidelity, accumulate into a life of significance.

From McDavid’s father, we learn the moral of early devotion: seize the first moments of your day to nurture what matters most, and let secondary pleasures follow. The principle is not merely about work but about intentional living—placing value on what sustains purpose, cultivates skill, and nourishes the soul. In doing so, one cultivates both mastery and character, blending discipline with vision.

Practically, this wisdom calls us to structure our days around what matters most. Identify your highest calling, rise to meet it with energy and focus, and reserve secondary pursuits—pleasure, leisure, distraction—for later. Write, practice, learn, create, or train at the start of each day, and let your dedication to purpose shape not only hours but the arc of your life.

Thus, let it be known: the first actions of the day are the architects of destiny. Honor your purpose above all else in the morning, and let discipline precede indulgence. In this way, the life you desire is not deferred, but realized, moment by moment, choice by choice. Walk each dawn with courage and focus, and your legacy will be forged in the fire of deliberate, consistent effort.