If You Want An Amazing Day, Prime Yourself The Night Before
Morning rituals are significant. But for a fantastic day, you must prime the night before. And this is how.
What Do You Want Out Of Life?
What are you trying to accomplish or achieve in your life; getting past procrastination, greater compassion for yourself and others? A new job. Better health, more wealth. More harmony in your relationships.
What Must You Do?
Anything you hope to achieve in your life starts with changing how you see yourself (your identity) and changing your behavior to align with the person you want to become (one who has achieved the goal).
Priming The Night Before.
Anything you’re hoping to achieve in your life starts with making changes in your daily habits aligned with the new identity. And to change your day, you must prime the night before. Before falling asleep, do the following exercises:
Focus on a goal you’d like to achieve in your life.
Instead of overwhelming yourself, decide to focus on one or two goals.
Set your intentions.
In his bestselling book, Atomic Habits, James Clear says, “It’s one thing to say I’m the type of person who wants. It’s something very different to say; I’m the person who is this.”
Set your intentions for how you’ll show up for your day tomorrow aligned with that goal.
Envision that new way of being.
Envision yourself following through by being that person you’ve set your intentions to be. Imagine yourself doing what you said you would, staying calm during a heated interaction (if greater harmony is your goal). Or, maybe you want to be a successful writer. Imagine yourself focused, in a conducive workspace, minus distractions and pushing past procrastination.
Notice how it feels to be this version of you.
Do you desire a healthier body? What is it like to be someone with a healthy body? What would their habits be? Before going to sleep, picture yourself taking on the identity of a healthy individual.
Decide on new habits.
What practices would you change in your day to align with this new identity? Would you start going to the gym if you want to get fit? Walk to work instead of driving. Change some of your eating habits.
Start small. Cut down on the number of carbohydrates you take in each day. Reduce your sugar intake. You need to make small decisions throughout the day to support the new identity before it becomes a habit.
Bringing It All Together
Morning rituals are significant, but if you truly want to nail it down — and increase your day’s chances of success, consider priming the night before.
While asleep, your resistance will be down, and your brain will have the entire night to process your intentions. It doesn’t matter what it is; when you prime yourself for the experience before having it, you set yourself up for success!
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