As a Man Thinketh Sample

I'm fascinated by the routines of successful people.

Why does Tim Cook from Apple, Oprah, Michelle Obama, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Richard Branson of Virgin Media, and JESUS ... wake up so early?

Why do they read books?

How do they strengthen their mind?

What are some of their successful habits?

What can I learn from them?

I love all that stuff.

If I want to be the best, I'm going to learn from the best. And, if you're like me, you want to be better. You want to grow. You want to become. You want to share your gifts with the world.

I want to challenge you to do all of that and so much more.

I wrote this so you can hear the internal echo of your greatness. I want you to be reminded of the GOOD that you are. I want you to take ACTION.

Each day will consist of one daily discipline and a thought to ponder.

I want to anchor on what the Bible says and provide practical steps to move you toward your dream. That's where the phrase, "As a Man Thinketh" becomes a powerful force.

I'd also recommend reading this classic book, "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen. It's an easy read based on the principles of God's Word.

So, here's daily discipline number one.

Daily Discipline #1

Wake up before the sun.

Mark 1:39, simply says, 'Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there.'

I know I mentioned a bunch of successful people who woke up before the sun, but I also included Jesus in that mix. I know Jesus woke up early, you know Jesus woke up early, but how come you struggle to wake up early?

We all have reasons "why" we can't or won't get up early. Let me list a few of the excuses I used to tell myself:

• I can get up later and do it.
• My body needs rest.
• I'm a late night person
• I'll wake everyone up
• I work long hours

I'm the first to admit, that I tried to figure out every possible way to sleep in later. However, I realized if I wanted to boost my spirit, soul, and body, I needed to listen, learn and respond.

I hope you caught that last sentence. If you didn't - read it again.

I realized if I wanted to boost my spirit, soul, and body, I needed to listen, learn and respond.

So, let's look at Jesus and break this down.

Question: Why did Jesus wake up early?

Since the moment Jesus was born, He had a purpose. He knew he was the savior of the world. And, because He knew this, He did everything in His power to prepare himself. Jesus was "on mission" all day every day.

Which brings me to ask the question, "why" did Jesus pray at this time?

Before I bring scriptures to support the power of prayer, I dug into some scientific data. Below are some great scientific benefits to waking up early.

1. You'll have a more successful career (Harvard Journal)
2. Stop procrastinating (Depaul University)
3. Will benefit you as you age. (Stanford Medical)
4. You will become more positive. (Harvard Journal)
5. You will become more persistent and cooperative (National Sleep Center)
6. Prevents depression. (Psychology Today)
7. Fewer unhealthy choices. (Harvard Journal)
8. Less stress. (Stanford University)
9. Keep off the weight. (Dr. Mercola)

While I love the scientific evidence of waking up early, I love even more what the Bible says.

1. 'Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For I trust in You. Teach me the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You. ' - Psalm 143:8
2. 'Satisfy us in the morning with your faithful love so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days. Psalms 90:14
3. 'In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly. Psalms 5:3
4. ' Lord, be gracious to us! We wait for you. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble. 'Isaiah 33:2

Ok, so now you should have a good snapshot of what the Bible is saying about "rising early" and the scientific evidence to support it. This is why Daily Discipline #1 is so important.

As a Man Thinketh is all about the power of your mind. God has given you and me something very powerful. It's not something to be taken lightly.

Tomorrow, we will get into Daily Discipline #2. This second discipline will get into WHAT you do WHEN you rise early (and it's more than just praying).

FINAL THOUGHT

Before you go, let me leave you with one more thought to think/pray about. Take the time to read and re-read this quote. Then, ask yourself the questions below.

What you do is the result of what you think.

Are you feeling stressed or depressed?

Or maybe you are feeling joyful and excited?

Can you connect any of your thoughts today with your feelings?

Can you connect any of your actions today with your thoughts?

Do you see how they match?

Can you discover any areas where you can start thinking better?

Do you find certain times of day are harder than others?

PRAYER

Lord help my mind.

Give me the desire to know you more.

Help me unlock the gifts you have given to me.

You know me better than me.

Give me the strength to create these disciplines.