I’ve watched over hundreds of routine videos of successful people and read article after article. So, let me do the honors and narrow down the habits that every successful person incorporates in their morning and night routine. The kind of stuff that nudges them into the top 1 percent.
Morning Routine of the Elite
Success doesn’t start at 9 AM. It starts before the world wakes up.
1. They wake up before the noise
When I was a kid, my dad used to always say this phrase before putting me to bed “Early to bed, early to rise, makes you healthy and wise”. I fully understand what he meant now at this point of my life. I’m not talking about the early risers. I’m talking about those who start their day, accomplish tasks on their to-do list way before others wake up. Guess when does Tim Cook- CEO of Apple start his day? 3:45 ! that’s crazy impressive. And Oprah? She gets up around 6 and avoids screens first thing.
Why it works:
The early hours are distraction-free. The rest of the world hasn’t gotten up yet. No one to text, no one to call, no meeting, and no chaos. Just space and time to think, read, and set the tone. You get the upper hand to own the day before the day owns you.
2. They prime their mind, not their inbox and feeds
They consciously choose to not check emails, not go on Instagram and YouTube. Rather they often journal, review goals, or visualize their day at the prime hours of their mornings. I’ve read ‘The 5 AM Club’ by Robin Sharma, and he in the book recommends people to dedicate one hour of their day(preferably in the morning) as a ‘Victory Hour’. One hour into 3 parts- 20 minutes of movement, 20 minutes of reflection, and 20 minutes of growth.
Why it works:
You’re not reacting. You’re choosing. Athletes visualize before big games, high-performers visualize before big decisions. You’re focusing on making your mind the strongest weapon, to conquer your day and your tasks.
3. They work on their most important task early
If you haven’t heard of the concept ‘Eat the frog’, let me explain it to you in simple words. Eat the frog is a time management strategy. Where you do your most difficult or important task first thing in the morning. Jeff Bezos only makes important decisions before noon. He knows that his mental sharpness fades later, so he tackles the hard stuff early.
Why It Works:
This reduces procrastination, builds momentum and frees up mental space.
Night Routine of the Elite
Evening is not wind-down time. It’s reset time.
1. They reflect, they don’t scroll
Instead of doom scrolling, they sit back, journal and reflect on their days. According to Frontiersin, exposure to blue light/ screens, particularly right before bed, can disrupt sleep quality, impair cognitive performance, and affect overall well-being. By actually interfering with the body’s natural circadian rhythms. Ray Dalio who is a billionaire investor writes down what he did well, things he could improve on, and what the data of his day says.
Why it works:
Reflection is a powerful tool, it makes your day compound. You just don’t go through your life on autopilot, you learn from it. It also gives you an opportunity to do better from yesterday and make better decisions in the future.
2. They set the next day up before sleeping
Successful people don’t just wing their mornings. They make their to-do list the night before, they pick out their gym and work outfits in the night itself to have a peaceful and calm morning the next day. Barack Obama once said he wore the same suits to reduce decision fatigue.
Why It Works:
Planning tomorrow today clears mental space. One gets to sleep better. You wake up with direction and a goal in mind. Less chaos, more momentum.
3. They don’t mess with sleep
Your brain needs rest and recharging just like your body does. That’s why proper rest and sleep is important for your well being and being the most productive. LeBron James logs 8–10 hours of sleep like it’s part of training. And he’s right. Studies show that deep sleep is a performance booster.
Why it works:
Good sleep improves memory, mood, and productivity. It’s a secret weapon disguised as rest.
Final Thought
Success isn’t defined from how hard you work and what you accomplish between 9-5. It’s defined from what you do before the 9-5 and after it. A proper morning and night routine will definitely set you up to success. So take what works. Build your own. And remember: the most successful people aren’t working harder, they’re working smarter
Want to dive deeper into how elite performers actually think? This piece on the mindset of high achievers breaks it down beautifully.
