8 Rules to Master the 3AM Rule and Leave Mediocrity Behind”

Waking up at 3AM isn’t just a habit. It’s a lifestyle. A mindset. A declaration to the universe that you are not here to be average. You want to know the difference between an amateur and a professional? It’s not talent. It’s not luck. It’s habits. In his book Turning Pro, Steven Pressfield said it best: amateurs have amateur habits—professionals have professional habits. That truth hit me hard. And it’s the same truth that drove me to live by what I call The 3AM Rule. What is the 3AM Rule? It’s a commitment to wake up before the world does and use those sacred hours between 3AM and 7AM to build the life you say you want. Not the life you pretend to want. The real one. If you’re still trying to convince yourself that greatness doesn’t require sacrifice, stop lying to yourself. While others are dreaming in their beds, I’m already working on my dreams—with a pen in my hand, paper in front of me. My purpose is on my mind. Below are 8 solid rules to help you separate yourself from the amateurs, the excuse-makers, the average. Apply these, and watch how your life transforms—starting tomorrow morning. Rule #1: Wake Up Before the World Wants Your Attention If you want to be uncommon, you must move while the world is still. At 3AM, you don’t have texts, emails, phone calls, or noise. It’s just you and your purpose. That kind of silence is a gift—and most folks sleep right through it. Action Step: Set your alarm for 3AM tomorrow. Place it across the room so you have to get up to shut it off. No snoozing. Get up. Sit still. Listen to your own thoughts. Rule #2: Fill Blank Pages Before the Sun Rises There’s power in getting ideas out of your head and onto paper. Every morning I wake up with a pen and white copy paper. I write until I empty out every idea, plan, emotion, and prayer. It clears the fog and sets the tone. Action Step: Start with 3 pages. Write anything. Stream of consciousness. Goals. Fears. Just get it out. Do this every morning. Then organize your thoughts before 7AM. Rule #3: Accept the Daily Grind as a Non-Negotiable A pro doesn’t negotiate with their goals. It’s not about how you feel—it’s about what needs to get done. That’s what separates a hustler from a dreamer. Waking up at 3AM is the grind before the grind. Action Step: Make a daily list the night before. When 3AM hits, you already know what needs to happen. Knock out the hardest task first. Rule #4: Reflect on the Big Picture While It’s Still Quiet You can’t map out a decade of your life in the middle of chaos. You need stillness. You need that mental space that only comes before the noise of the day starts. That’s when vision becomes clear. Action Step: Each morning, take as long as you want to visualize where you want to be in 10 years. Write down what steps you can take today. Rule #5: Turn Grief Into Gratitude and Drive My parents and younger brother are no longer here. I live every day grateful for the breath I still have. When I wake up, I’m not groaning—I’m weeping sometimes, grateful to be alive. Action Step: Start your day with gratitude. Remeber things you're thankful for before you do anything else. Then use that energy. Rule #6: Separate from People Who Refuse to Be Detailed Here’s the truth: vagueness is the enemy of greatness. The 3AM Rule forces you to slow down, zoom in, and be intentional. Action Step: Ask yourself: “Where am I being lazy with details?” Fix one of those areas Every. Single. Day. Rule #7: Take Full Ownership of Your Life In The Compound Effect, Darren Hardy said, “Your life is a product of your moment-to-moment choices.” That means nobody’s coming to rescue you. Nobody’s coming to push you. If your life is messy, it’s because you let it be. Action Step: Take responsibility. Every morning, say “I own everything in my life.” Then act like it. Rule #8: Respect Time Like It’s a Gift You Don’t Deserve The 3AM Rule is a spiritual discipline for me. I respect time because I know I’ve been given more than I expected. Time is not promised. Every day you waste is one you’ll never get back. Action Step: Track your time from 3AM to 7AM. No distractions. No social media. Only progress. Make those hours sacred. Final Word: You were not put on this earth to be ordinary. You were given gifts. But gifts mean nothing without discipline. The 3AM Rule is not about being extreme—it’s about being exceptional. It’s the great separator. The line in the sand between “wanting it” and “working for it.” Be willing to sacrifice your comfort before dawn.

“Silence, Clarity, Power: Why the 3AM Rule Is Sacred Ground”

Most people are just going through the motions. Waking up every day, wearing a fake smile, saying what they think people want to hear, and hiding who they really are. That’s not living—that’s surviving. And it's exhausting. You will never feel connected to anybody when you’re pretending to be someone you’re not. That’s why I live by the 3AM Rule. These early morning hours—from 3AM to 7AM—are sacred. They’re quiet. They’re honest. Nobody’s watching. Nobody’s performing. And that’s when you get to work—not just on your goals, but on you. If you’re serious about changing your life, stop sleeping through the only hours of the day that truly belong to you. Here are my 5 impact rules for how to use 3AM to 7AM to transform your day—and your life: 1. The 3AM hour is your chance to strip all that fake off. Write. Speak. Think. Whatever you do, do it without the mask. 2. The world doesn’t give you time to think. It interrupts, distracts, and floods you with nonsense. But at 3AM? That’s your space. That’s when your mind is finally free. Let your imagination stretch out. Breathe. Dream boldly. 3. Own every word. Whether you're journaling, recording ideas, or just thinking things through—make it count. Don’t be one of those people who talk in circles and leave folks wondering what you meant. Learn how to make yourself speak the truth all the time. 4. Use the 3am Rule to lay down the blueprint for your future. Visualize the life you want 10 years from now—and then start making decisions today that point in that direction. 5. Embrace the Silence. It makes most people uncomfortable. But I love it. That’s where the answers live. Sit in it. Walk in it. Think in it. That silence between 3 and 7AM? That’s where your strength gets built.Turn the radio off in your car so you can hear yourself. In closing, use the 3am Rule to Reimagine yourself of who you are and how you want to live out your life in true freedom.