I picked up the above book from the Red Cross shop for $1 and enjoyed it immensely. Published in 1951 �How I Raised myself from Failure to Success in Selling� by Frank Bettger is, as you could tell from the title, a book on sales. I read it because I own a retail store, but also because I love reading old-fashioned, slightly cheesy, seemingly folksy books like this and they are a good positive inspiration for me about life in general.
One idea I took from it was �The Six O�clock Club�. The author heard that many successful people including Benjamin Franklin considered themselves �members�. How does one join you ask? One rises every day at 6am, including weekends and days off. I have often heard we give ourselves a form of jet-lag by rising early to go to work but sleeping in a little on our days off.
Even though it feels wonderfully luxurious at the time it�s going against our bodies. By getting up early even on days off I feel so refreshed, have more time to do things and sleep well at night. I make sure my light is off by 10pm, so I get eight hours � but even if I don�t get into bed until 10.30 or 10.45 I will get up at 6am, just make sure I�m in bed early the following night.
The times I have slept way past my alarm I feel quite sluggish. And what does one do at 6am? My favourite thing to do is make a big cup of hot tea and read. I read in bed in the winter with the lamp on, either a book or some magazine articles I have been saving up, or I get out the laptop and read blogs or the news.
In the summer I do the same things but at the dining table, or I might potter in my sewing area.
I think Frank Bettger and Benjamin Franklin probably used their time for more worthy pursuits � like planning their day or getting a headstart on work.
The key to a good day for me is plenty of time in the morning to get ready. Before I leave for work I like to have a minimum of 1.5 hours to shower, breakfast and dress. I can squeeze it into less but why would I want to? If I can stretch it out to two hours I�m in heaven.
Giving myself time to have a leisurely and relaxing start to my day is the best reason to get up at 6 o�clock, and I don�t find it a hardship at all!
What time do you get up in the mornings? Do you like a sleep-in or do you rise at the same time every day?