The High Performance Journal​ - March 14th 2023 ​

When I was single and in my 30’s I had horrible morning habits.

I would start my day by going on my phone and scrolling the internet. Once that was done I’d fix myself a pot of coffee while staying glued to my phone.

I didn’t know it back then but my mornings were ruining my attention and energy for the rest of the day.

As I got older, I realized that the things you do in the morning ripple throughout the entire day.

While you may not need to have a robust morning routine you do want to be more mindful of the way you start your day.

In today’s issue, I want to share with you 5 of the best ways to start your mornings.

Before reading I must mention that you don’t need to apply everything in this list. As the great Bruce Lee once said,

“Absorb what is useful and discard what is useless”

So take what you feel will work for you. Start with 1-2 at a time and add or subtract as you see fit.

5 Ways to Create a Superhuman Morning

Breathwork

Your breath is the key to mastering your nervous system.

Breathwork is where you change your breathing patterns to improve your mental & physical well-being.

It’s powerful because it’s a tool to completely shift your energy and mood. I can calm you down, energize you or even lift your spirits.

One I use in particular is called Wim Hof breathing.

Here’s how to do it: Find a comfortable position.

1. Breathe in deeply through the nose and into the belly.
2. Exhale, then immediately breathe in again.
3. Take 30–40 such breaths.
4. Hold your breath until getting the urge to breathe again.
5. Inhale deeply and hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 3–5 times.

I did an entire thread on breathwork that you can access here:

The fastest way to hack your energy & stress is through your breath.

Here are 7 powerful ways to master your nervous system through breathing:

— Dan Go (@FitFounder) November 8, 2022

Cold Showers

Cold showers suck to do but they come with many benefits.

It triggers a healthy release of dopamine into your system to start your day. There is a difference between getting dopamine from the cold as opposed to a video game.

When you get dopamine from a video game you raise your levels but after you’re done they drop below baseline, which can cause a low.

When you get dopamine from cold exposure you raise your levels and after you’re done they stay elevated and drop to your baseline, which helps you avoid a crash.

I did 30 days straight of cold showers and have gotten so many benefits that I decided to keep it as part of my morning routine.

I did a video on it that you can access here.

Eat The Frog

I got this term from Brian Tracy and it refers to the idea of getting the hardest thing done first thing in the morning.

The idea is to identify one challenging task (the frog) and complete it first thing in the morning (eating it).

Let’s say that you have a big project you need to work on and you’re procrastinating on it. Make that your frog in the morning and eat it.

Or maybe you’re finding it hard to get your workouts in. Make that your frog in the morning and eat it.

Take the hardest thing in your life and front load it in the morning to take the pressure off.

Bodyweight Strength Circuits

Want to start your days off with a bang? Do a quick strength circuit to wake up your body.

The act of doing a strength circuit is that it releases adrenaline and endorphins into your body. This speeds up the time it takes to get you awake and ready to go.

A quick circuit to do is this one:

1. Glute bridge x 12 to 15
2. Pushups x 12 to 15
3. Mountain Climbers x 12 to 15 per side
4. Squats x 12 to 15 reps

You would go from one exercise to another without resting. This will get the heart pumping and the body ready for the day ahead.

Btw I've been getting a lot of feedback from subscribers and realize that for many the cost of coaching can be prohibitive for many. While I do believe coaching is the best way to get results I wanted to offer another way to work with me that doesn't require an investment in coaching.

For that reason, I'm launching my course called The Lean Body 90 in early spring. It'll help you get a lean body in 90 days in under 90 minutes a week.

Join the early bird list here for access to a special discount when it comes out:

Click here to join the Lean Body 90 Waitlist. 

Take A Walk Outside

Walking in the morning boosts mood, and energy, and improves your mental health and brain health.

When you do it outside you’re getting morning sun exposure, which turns on your circadian rhythms to start working for you.

This is one of the most underrated ways to feel amazing in the morning.

Feeling Superhuman Yet?

The big idea from this list is to choose 1-2 and test them out for yourself.

One of the best ways to learn, especially when it comes to your body, is to apply what you’ve discovered.

Knowledge without application is useless. Applied knowledge is wisdom.

Here’s to you feeling superhuman first thing in the morning.

- Dan

PLUS whenever you’re ready, here is 1 way I can help you:

1. Are you an entrepreneur who wants to get lean, boost energy, and get in your best shape in 2023? Apply for one-on-one coaching here. 

2. Join the waitlist to get first access (and a sweet discount) to my Lean Body 90 course coming out in early spring by clicking here.