Morning mindset rituals………You ever notice how high achievers always have some magical morning routine that sounds like it was designed by a monk who also does CrossFit? Like, “I wake up at 4:30, meditate, run 10 miles, write three chapters of my memoir, and still have time for a matcha latte.”
Meanwhile, me: I once ate cold pizza at 7 a.m. because I was too lazy to make toast.
But here’s the kicker—I’ve been experimenting with morning mindset rituals lately (because apparently success doesn’t just wander into your living room while you’re binge-watching New Girl reruns). And shockingly? Some of this stuff actually works.
Not the 4 a.m. wake-ups, though. That’s never happening.
The Morning I Accidentally Discovered My First “Ritual”
Okay, picture this: Queens, middle of winter. My apartment heat was being weird (thanks, landlord). I was grumpy, wrapped in three hoodies, sipping burnt coffee. Instead of doom-scrolling TikTok, I scribbled in a random notebook I found under the couch. Just nonsense—half rant, half goals.
But when I left the house, I felt… lighter. Like I’d already dumped the junk thoughts out of my brain. That messy little scribble session? Accidentally became a ritual.
And I swear—it snowballed into other habits that made mornings feel less like punishment and more like… okay, I’m not Beyoncé, but I can at least make it through my emails without crying.
What High Achievers Actually Do in the Morning
Here’s the wild thing: most of their morning routines are less about doing everything and more about doing something that sets the tone. Doesn’t have to be complicated. Let’s break it down with some real-life (and slightly chaotic) examples.
1. Journaling (But Make It Imperfect)
Forget the leather-bound gratitude journals with gold pens. Mine is literally a composition notebook from Rite Aid. I write stuff like, “Don’t forget milk” next to “One day I’ll buy a house with a porch.”
High achievers swear by journaling because it gets the brain unclogged. Doesn’t matter if it’s gratitude, goal-setting, or random doodles—it works.
2. Moving Your Body (Even Just a Wiggle)
I am not a gym-at-6-a.m. person. But I am a dance-around-the-kitchen-to-old-Usher person. Movement wakes you up. That’s the point. Some people jog the bridge, others do yoga, some of us throw our backs out dancing to “Yeah!” before coffee. Still counts.
3. Mindful Minutes (aka Staring at the Ceiling Counts)
Meditation always sounded too intimidating. But then I realized—just sitting quietly for two minutes, not touching my phone, also counts. High achievers don’t always meditate on a mountain top. Sometimes they just breathe before diving into chaos.
4. Intentional Inputs (What You Feed Your Brain)
You know how you eat junk food and feel like sludge? Same with your brain. Listening to a motivational podcast while brushing your teeth? Boom. Or reading one page of a book instead of scrolling Instagram? Tiny shift, big difference.
5. Planning But Not Overplanning
This one’s sneaky. High achievers plan their day in the morning, but not in a “color-coded spreadsheet” way (unless that’s your thing). It’s more like: What are the 1–2 things that, if I actually finished them, I’d feel less like a gremlin and more like a functioning adult?
My Current Chaotic Ritual
So here’s my very un-Instagrammable routine, for full transparency:
- Snooze alarm twice.
- Drink water like it’s the cure for all my problems.
- Write one messy journal page.
- Do 10 pushups badly.
- Blast music while making toast (bonus if I don’t burn it).
- Pick one important task before noon.
That’s it. Nothing fancy. But compared to Old Me (who rolled out of bed, muttered “why bother,” and opened Twitter), it’s a huge glow-up.
The Psychology Bit (Quick, Promise)
Morning mindset rituals work because they give your brain a cue. Your brain loves patterns. You do something the same way every morning—like journaling or stretching—and your brain goes, “Oh, cool, we’re in focus mode now.”
Science-y name for it: habit loops. My name for it: tricking my brain into not sabotaging me before 9 a.m.
If you’re into nerdy deep dives, James Clear breaks this down really well in Atomic Habits.
Why Mornings, Though?
I used to think, Why does it have to be mornings? Can’t I just have a strong midnight ritual? And you can. But mornings hit different because it’s like catching your brain before the world ruins it.
By noon, you’ve probably already seen 10 depressing headlines, missed a call, and spilled coffee on your shirt. Mornings are quiet. Untouched. It’s the one window where you get to say, “Hey, this is who I am today,” before life shoves its opinion on you.
The Ridiculous Pressure of Perfect Routines
Side rant: Instagram lies. Those “perfect” morning routine videos with matcha, silk robes, and floor-to-ceiling windows? Yeah, I live in Queens. My morning view is pigeons fighting over a bagel.
So if your ritual looks more like brushing your teeth while humming aggressively at the sink, that’s still a ritual. Don’t get caught up in aesthetics. Focus on function.
Things I Tried That Didn’t Work about morning mindset rituals
- Ice baths – Look, I know Tony Robbins loves them, but my building’s water pressure is tragic. I’m not shivering for enlightenment.
- Reading 50 pages before breakfast – Ambitious, but my brain’s still rebooting at that hour.
- Answering emails first thing – Just no. Immediate mood-killer.
Sometimes you have to experiment, ditch what feels fake, and keep what feels doable.
Tiny Rituals You Can Steal Tomorrow
- Put your phone in another room overnight (forces you to actually get out of bed).
- Drink a glass of water before coffee (your organs will thank you).
- Write down the one task you’ll feel proud of finishing today.
- Stretch while your coffee brews (multi-task like a boss).
- Play music that hypes you up (I recommend 2000s throwback playlists).
Final Thought about morning mindset rituals
Morning mindset rituals don’t make you unstoppable overnight. But they do make you a little less stuck, a little more intentional, and honestly—a little less cranky.
If you start with one tomorrow (even if it’s just writing “don’t quit” on a Post-it and sticking it to your coffee pot), you’ll feel the shift. Not perfection. Just progress.
And hey—if all else fails, remember: cold pizza still counts as breakfast.
