Urgent

The Washington Post drew back the curtain of history recently to dissect Franklin’s a.m. routine–because surely, there’s a reason why the Founding Father was such a multifaceted success story.

While we might expect a litany of exercises and activities, starting with an “up with the sun” start, Franklin instead gives us little more than an airy glee. In his diary, he writes that he would “rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness.” From there, he moved on to urgent business, scoping out the day and, eventually, breakfast. A good starting point perhaps (with echoes in today’s routines), but not really a lot to go on.

The golden nugget in all of this is clearly not an 18th-century yoga routine or revolutionary goal journaling. It’s an intentional mindset: start the day with commitment to optimism and self-improvement.
—Inc.