The Secret of the First Hour - The Golden Hour

I have a secret and I have to share.
It can change the course of your day.
It can also alter the course of your life.
It will Fulfill your Need to Grow.
It’s a state of mind that starts early in the morning…and lasts all day.

Anyone who puts this secret to good use is well on their way to catching the express train to Success. Here it is. People who decide to devote the very first portion of their day (5 minutes of more) to proactive thinking, encouragement, motivation, or inspiration absolutely catapult themselves into greater achievements by day’s end than those who don’t. Through many documented observations, it is apparent that people, who decide to begin the day with information for positive growth and input come out on top. Why is this? Let’s have a look.

The First Hour is the Rudder of the Day - The Golden Hour.

Henry Ward Beecher

Most of us are not truly aware of what is entering our minds first thing in the morning? We rise and immediately turn on the TV. We see and hear who got shot, who was busted for selling drugs, and who has landed in jail, among other things. So many people wake up to this form of stimulation only to be disappointed that the rest of the day doesn’t seem to get any better. The shocker is most people don't realize what is happening. Is this your routine?

To turn this around, you must be aware of what you allow your mind to receive. Start the day off in the right direction. If you want success, fill your mind early with the kind of information that will benefit you. You may begin with reading a passage of my book Enrich Your Sunrise in combination with the other strategies listed below. You don’t have to accept what the TV or media has to offer. Instead, make your morning YOURS. Let's look at this a little more.

Let’s liken your mind to driving a car. Stimulating your brain with beneficial thinking in the first hour is like putting your car in first gear and creating great momentum. Rolling smoothly and easily makes getting into second gear effortless. By the time you are in fourth gear, you are steamrolling and very hard to stop. Most people begin their day in reverse. By the time they figure out what it takes to move forward, time has slipped away and they have to play catch up. You truly deserve more. Get on your game early by making the First Hour your Golden Hour. I named my book Enrich Your Sunrise in honor of the first hour of the day. Why? Because it is the most important hour. Start strong and finish strong!

Make a point to stand guard over the information that is flowing in and out of your brain. You are in control of one thing and one thing only…your actions and thoughts...aka your attitude. This is your life! So in order to get life where you want it, you must take possession of it and claim it. Do you want MORE or the same boring stuff? Then begin using different combinations of this STRATEGY FOR GROWTH listed below!

Listed below are four techniques on how to fill your first hour with applied beneficial thinking, which I call the MORE STRATEGY FOR GROWTH:

1. (M) Use the Power of Meditation or Prayer – take 2-3 minutes to connect with your creator, higher power, or Divine Intelligence. Give thanks to be alive today. Get in touch with your Inner Self and get your Soul ready to receive harmonious and enriching information. Remember, you are entitled to abundance, happiness, and joy. You deserve it. It is your birthright. Tune in and connect.

2. (O) Organize the Day – the most productive individuals plan their day in advance. They think about what they want to accomplish and formulate a plan to carry it out. Use my Productivity List as an outline for your day at work or at play. In order to achieve great successes today, focus solely on the how you can be useful to your purpose or organization by planning your actions before you make them happen.

3. (R) Read a Book or Listen to Inspirational CD’s – here is another secret. The most successful people in the world fill their daily commutes with inspiration and learning. Not only does reading a few pages of a nourishing book or listening to CDs get your blood pumping, it also raises your level of enthusiasm and endorses your clear and definite purpose in life. You'll find that it makes you feel great! You'll want more and more. Reading and listening, even for only a few minutes, will keep you engaged, progressing, and learning. It's a fantastic way to start or finish your Golden Hour!

4. (E) Exercise – a number of people have shared with me that during their morning exercise, many of their brilliant ideas come to them. This happens for me as well. Exercise increases the heart rate and metabolism, refreshes the brain, and positively stimulates the nervous system. Physical use of the body improves health immediately. Something as simple as a brisk walk can make a big difference in how you feel. Sound physical health is one of the universal principles of success and exercise is a great way to obtain it. My #1 personal maxim reads: A strong mind in a strong body.

Put the (M)(O)(R)(E) Strategy for Growth to good use. If possible, use all aspects of MORE or a combination of these techniques to start your day. Come up with twists of your own to make it yours. The rewards you will receive when you put this strategy into action are abundant. It will change how you approach your day and give you a greater sense of yourself. Using MORE will provide you with the mental, physical, and spiritual energy you need to make the day energizing and productive. Incorporating MORE into your life will lead to bigger and better changes from within. Why? Because you chose it. The Secret of the First Hour is very powerful, and it is yours for the taking. Grow on!