My 4 Morning Non-Negotiables as a Heart Surgeon

Disclaimer: Not Medical Advice. Opinions are my own.

In partnership with Momentous

In today's newsletter, we will review my four-morning non-negotiables. These four pillars have proven me well, but that does not mean they will benefit you most. I hope you reflect on your current routine, implement changes, and evaluate the results.

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”- John C. Maxwell

Your routine today defines your future.

Change your routine, and you change your future.

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Wake Up Early

I wasn't always a morning person.

Until medical school, I was never motivated to wake up before sunrise.

The nature of my career forced me to become an early riser, and I'm thankful for that.

The real reason why waking up early is a non-negotiable is because you reduce distractions. The world is still sleeping. That means your friends, family, boss, and spam emails are, too.

This presents you with the perfect opportunity to focus.

The focus to move the needle where you want, distraction-free.

Maximal output typically occurs during the wee hours, when I can do my deep work.

Here's my pro tip for those struggling to wake up early: don't set an alarm for when you wake up; set an alarm for when it's time to go to bed.

It is much harder to sleep in when you are going to bed at 9:00 pm.

Try waking up early for 2-4 weeks and see how your life changes.

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Hydrate

This is a simple habit to implement, and the return is exponential.

Most people wake up dehydrated. When we sleep, we continue to lose water. Since we can't hydrate while asleep, we start our day volume depleted.

Start your day by drinking 10-12 ounces of water.

Hydrating right after getting up can increase your physical performance, cognitive function, digestion, and mood.

As many of you know, I start my day by putting an LMNT packet in my water to replenish my electrolytes from the previous day.

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Personal Reading

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”- George R.R. Martin

Reading will change your life.

Reading allows you to chase your curiosity through the minds and words of others.

You can live people's lives in a fraction of the time.

Incredibly powerful.

More importantly, I learn lessons that took the author years, decades, or even a lifetime to learn.

This doesn't guarantee I will doge all potholes, but even if I make the same mistake, I will most likely have the tools to navigate them.

Reading and I had a love-hate relationship in school, but now I can confidently say reading makes life more enjoyable and attainable.

It doesn't matter what you read - just read.

Your curiosity will lead the way.

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Prioritize

“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.”- Seneca

Your attention is being pulled in an infinite amount of directions.
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My job isn't to address all of them - there aren't enough hours in the day.

I prioritize the actions that will bring me closer to my goals.

The key is not to focus on many things at once but on one thing many times.

Typically, that means reviewing my patients and upcoming surgeries. I research and plan my content. I extract all the tasks that must be done today to ensure progress.

If you don't set your sights on a goal, it's easy to get lost in the sea of distractions.

If you struggle to identify your most important goals, try Charlie Munger's mental exercise: inversion.

Defining a goal can be challenging, but knowing what you don't want is usually more apparent.

For example, you know with certainty you don't want to fail out of school. How can you ensure you don't? Study.

Make a list of all the results you want to avoid. Then, ask yourself, "What steps must I take to prevent this from happening?" Your answer is your priority for the day.

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Your Blueprint

This description of my morning non-negotiables is not a prescription for how you should live your life.

I share these with you because they have served me well.

You may already have non-negotiables that work for you now.

Stay the course.

On the other hand, you may have daily non-negotiables that you mindlessly repeat.

Take note of what you are currently doing. Find areas where you see an opportunity for change. Consciously make changes and evaluate your results.

Find the habits that propel you through life and do them daily.

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All the best,

Jeremy London, MD