The Harsh Truth About Your Morning Routine.
Most people are obsessed with morning routines.
Don’t believe me?
Fitness creator Ashton Hall posted a video on morning routines that recently hit a billion views. Yes, billion with a B.
Huberman’s podcasts on morning routines are some of the most viewed on the internet.
The problem?
Most people’s morning routines are just an excuse, an escape, or an emotional boost.
At best, they’re a distraction.
2017
I’d just launched my first online business, and quickly realized I had no idea what I was doing.
I binged any content that could help me answer:
“WTF am I supposed to do?”
I vividly remember a podcast by James Wedmore (great podcast) where the guest said:
“If you don’t have a morning routine, you’re sabotaging your success.”
I bought in. I built my own elaborate routine.
Some mornings I wouldn’t even start work until 10 a.m., even though I’d been up since 5:30.
Here’s the thing:
I do my best work early in the day.
My energy and creativity are highest in the morning.
So filling that time with anything but the most important thing felt like a step backward, not forward.
Does this mean you should jump straight into work when you wake up?
Probably not.
But should you have a 2-hour routine that “primes you for the day” (right when you’re already ready to go)?
In my experience, no.
After obsessing over routines in 2017, I’ve stripped mine back to the bare essentials in the last few years.
The Morning Routine Industry
Online productivity gurus. Crypto bros. Fitness influencers. Biohackers
They’ve distorted reality.
The people with these elaborate routines make a living by promoting elaborate routines.
The more views and comments they generate, the more money they make.
Copying the 17-step routine of someone whose only job is to make content about their routine might not be the smartest move.
So, Why Are Morning Routines So Popular?
Because if you're trying to improve your life, health, work, or fitness, the natural first step is:
“What are successful people doing?”
And a lot of them talk about morning routines.
They say: Win the morning, win the day.
But think about this...
Does starting your day “wrong” ruin the entire thing?
Do you feel like the day is lost if you don’t check all 17 boxes?
Are you even superstitious about it?
For many people, the answer is yes.
A Theory About Morning Routines
Let’s say you want to get stronger in the gym.
That means lifting heavy stuff consistently. Week after week. Progressively making it harder.
It’s uncomfortable (and hard). But that discomfort is what makes you stronger.
Morning routines, on the other hand, feel like progress.
They deliver a hit of dopamine. A few little wins.
You feel invincible.
But did you actually get stronger? Did you move your business forward? Did you become better at anything?
Only you will know the answer to this.
Elaborate routines are a way to feel like you’re progressing, without doing the work that creates real results.
Are Morning Routines a Success Predictor?
I don’t have the answer.
But here’s what I’ve noticed.
The most successful people I’ve met, founders, creators, even pro athletes keep their mornings simple.
They do fewer things before doing the one thing that matters most.
They don’t waste precious time or energy on elaborate warm-ups or Instagram worthy routines.
They just get to it.
Because doing the thing is more important than prepping to do the thing.
How to Make Your Routine Work For You
If you’re getting better (subjectively and objectively) and your morning routine is part of that, keep it.
But if you’re not seeing progress?
It might be time to change how you start your day.
Ask yourself:
What do I think is helping me?
Is it actually helping?
Or is it just a feel-good distraction?
How I Fixed Mine
Since 2017, I’ve had full autonomy over my mornings, and it's something I’ll forever be grateful for.
But autonomy brings choice.
And in the early days, I chose complexity. I experimented with everything from:
Starting work 20 minutes after waking
Not starting work until 10 or 11 a.m.
And everything in between.
Over time (longer than it should have taken), I learned:
Less is more.
Now, I do 2–3 things max before starting the day.
And none of them are tied to some “success formula.”
The fewer things I do before diving in, the easier my day becomes.
What Do You Think?
Elaborate routines for the win?
Or is less really more?