The 3AM Rule is My Reset Button: “If You Want a Different Life, Change the Hour You Wake Up Early.”

The 3AM Rule: My Reset Button

I’ve been away from the 3AM Rule for a while. I haven’t written about it since September, and truthfully, I haven’t been waking up at 3AM like I used to. But when I get excited about my goals again, something wakes me up before the alarm — and I find myself right back at that kitchen table.

When I’m locked in, I can barely sleep. I grab my notebook, write out what I’m working on, sketch out the “what ifs,” and plan my whole day on paper. Writing is my therapy. The stillness of the early morning has always been where I think the clearest.

In radio, I lived by the 3AM Rule. Sometimes I’d be at the station at 3AM, other days at 4. I would spread everything out in the conference room before the 6AM show, meditate, pray, and hunt for ideas. I loved being prepared.

One of my students, Shay Moore in Kansas City, lives by it too. She’s in the studio at 3AM — dressed, ready, locked in. She understands what that early edge does for performance.

Now let me be clear — you don’t have to wake up at 3AM to be successful. But for me, it’s the engine that drives everything. From 3AM to 6AM, you can knock out your heavy lifting before most people hit snooze. And sometimes I’m so full of ideas I can’t even sleep. That’s why I’m always taking notes. Thought moves fast — 24 billion miles per second — and if you don’t catch it, it’s gone.

My wife is tired of the tubs and boxes of notes around the house, but I love going back and picking through them. Seeds planted long ago, blooming today.

Most of my day is thinking and writing — that’s my work. That’s how I stay sharp. That’s how I stay articulate on the air.

So build a schedule that gives you an unfair advantage.
And if you need a reset button in your life… try waking up at 3AM.

It always brings me back home.

Don't Believe What They Say, You Can Only Do One Thing Well

I’m on a mission to prove to myself that I can manage all the planets in my life without them crashing into each other. I’ve got so many things I’m excited about, and I know deep down I’m capable of handling them. I feel if I don’t launch these things, nothing happens. I know what’s possible.

You’ve heard the old line: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” I never believed that applied to me. Why? Because I don’t waste my time on things that don’t spark something in me. You may be doing things just to keep a relationship from breaking up. But your stomach is turning, because you know you need to back out of this. There is no passion. The key is passion. You should only take on the things that wake you up in the morning ready to move. Passion projects aren’t a burden—you love nurturing them, watching them grow. The burden comes when you say yes to things that don’t belong to your heart. That’s when the conflict shows up. Passion creates excitement!

That’s why I created what I call The 3am Rule. If I’m that ambitious, then I need more time. I don’t wake up at 3am every single day—but when I need to, it’s no problem. I might do it for a few days straight, depending on what’s going on. It’s my way of making sure nothing I love gets left behind.

At 60 years old, I want to spend my life doing exactly what I want. No more doing things just to do them. Every day I get to create my life on my terms. Like writing this article to you—I know I’m helping somebody by being transparent. And I’m glad you feel me on this, because now I know I’m not the only one.

I love this life God has given me. And for these few precious moments I’m here, I want everything I do to count. I use The 3am Rule as my secret weapon against mediocrity. It’s not for lazy people. It’s for those who know they’ve got something burning inside them—and need a little extra time to bring it to life.

So Set your alarm. Make it happen. Don't be average. Be World Class

Read More at www.3amrule.com
.