Chapter 1 The Wake-Up Call 2 Chapter 2 The Miracle 4 Chapter 3 The 5 AM Club 10 Chapter 4 The Daily Dominator 13 Chapter 5 The 14-Day Domination Challenge 22 Chapter 6 About Jeff 27

"I have a carpe diem mug and, truthfully,at six in the morning the words do not

make me want to seize the day.They make me want to slap a dead poet."

- Joanne Sherman

Is this how you feel about 5 o'clock in the morning?

I thought so. I have felt the exact same way.

Thankfully, waking up with the roosters and dominating your daydoes not have to be this painful. I will show you how.

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Morning is wonderful. Its onlydrawback is that it comes at such

an inconvenient time of day.- Glen Cook

A few years ago I found myself watching success-ful people accomplish an incredible amount and I began asking some critical questions:

What is the key to massive daily progress?How do some people accomplish so much in 24 hours while others do not?

What would it take to feel energized all day AND get a lot done?

Why does it seem that many successful people are early risers?

Is waking up at sunrise necessary at all?

We all want to get more done. We all want to feel fantastic. So, why do some people look good, feel great, and accomplish so much while the rest of us have to drag ourselves out of bed every morning?

There are many possible reasons why high-achievers and super-perky people get so much done, but I become infatuated with the early morning.

It seemed to be clear to me that starting the day right could have enormous potential for me, and everyone else.

My research pointed to one simple conclusion: most of us waste our precious morning hours, which leads us to play catchup all day, every day.

The beauty of a 5 AM wake-up call is that it lays the critical foundation for making the most of each day.Everyone has the ability. It's simply a matter of execution.

What if you really don't like early mornings?

5 AM can be hard for everyone - even me. I don't believe that any of us are truly night-people or morning-people. It is our deeply ingrained habits

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and our desire to achieve meaningful goals that defines whether we dread the alarm clock or highly anticipate the opportunity to make magic with the new day.

What is the Miracle of 5 AM?

What happens when you don't get up on time or sleep-in way too late?

What happens when the day is ending and you re-alize you have not accomplished your priorities?

What does it feel like to crawl out of bed tired, possibly hungover, and dreading having to work-out, go to work, or even just brush your teeth?

5 AM is only miraculous in its comparison to the other extreme - falling behind. No one likes feeling overwhelmed, being behind sched-ule, or fighting through unnecessary stress all day - but we do it to ourselves!

We live a life that continually demeans our po-tential and puts us in a position to hate waking

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up all together. The good news is that there is another way to live. There is a beautiful solution to this rampant problem we all face.

I am here to play matchmaker. I wrote this book to make you fall in love with the sunrise and I think you will.

The Miracle

5 AM is a great time of day, but is it truly miracu-lous? I think so, but probably not for the reasons you might be imagining.

I started my podcast, The 5 AM Miracle, due to this one key habit that has revolutionized the way I live: waking up bright and early.

This one habit has become the backbone of eve-rything I do. The act of waking up at 5 AM is not impressive on its own. 5 AM is just a time of day but what 5 AM stands for is much more im-pressive.

What is 5 am?

First, 5 AM is a block of time each morning when life is calm, serene, and peaceful. In the early morning hours there are few distractions, the birds are just beginning to sing, and life moves at a slower pace.

Secondly, 5 AM is a symbol for taking full control of your life. When you use your minutes as wisely as you use your money, you reach a pinna-cle of achievement and fulfillment that few peo-ple ever do.

Finally, I believe that 5 AM can become your most precious asset.

When you guard your time and prioritize your tasks; When you focus on developing incredible en-ergy and producing optimal health; When you fully embrace living your life on pur-pose in order to achieve your grandest goals . . .

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You then begin to reap the limitless benefits of the miracle of intentionality.

Life on Purpose

Intentionality leads to better decisions and a bet-ter life because intentionality is the miracle. It is the core of early mornings and of a healthy diet. It is the reason I voraciously read personal development books and it is the dominating fac-tor in my ability to run marathons.

Being intentional simply means living on pur-pose. There are no accidents. Life is planned on paper, on purpose, every day, without excep-tion.Is it accurate to call living on purpose (or inten-tionality) a miracle? I think so. Heres why:

When you decide ahead of time how your day will go; When you write down your goals, dreams, and aspirations;

When you wake up to the reality that you have been living in emergency-, fire-killing-, reactionary-mode for as long as you can remem-ber; When the chaos of the day is dwarfed by your intense focus on your highest priorities; When you wake up each morning and go to bed every night with a smile on your face . . .

You then begin to see the intense beauty of a life well-lived.

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The 5 AM Structure

1. Plan your day on paper first 2. Establish a few key healthy habits 3. Focus on your top priorities 4. Include personal development 5. Make time for exercise 6. Fill your day with energizing foods 7. Work your daily productivity system

Direct Benefits

With this basic structure in place, these benefits begin to emerge:

1. Increased energy2. Improved mental clarity & creativity3. Weight loss4. Increased productivity5. Improved mood/positive outlook on your day6. Increased strength/endurance7. Ability to ward off distractions

The Epiphany

Beyond living each and every day on purpose, the more authentic miracle may lie in the epiphany itself. The epiphany I am referring to is the one when you realize that you are 100% re-sponsible for your entire life.

Everything that happens in you, around you, and to you is because of you. [Tweet That]

Realizing your life is in your hands is incredibly empowering, not scary.

When you take control of your life and every-thing that happens in it you will undoubtedly experience The 5 AM Miracle.

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"The sun has not caughtme in bed in fifty years."

- Thomas Jefferson

During my senior year of college I joined a small group of guys from my fraternity to attend a yoga class at six o'clock in the morning, three days a week.

That means I had to not only get out of bed be-fore sunrise, but I also had to be dressed and ready to talk to people and move my tired body.

It was painful. I was used to a college lifestyle of late nights and lazy mornings. I knew how to work hard but I normally saved that energy for much later intheday. To mysurprise yoga was invigorating.

My friends and I would finish each session, run straight to breakfast to chug some coffee, and then head off to class with our now highly flexi-ble bodies and alert minds.

Yes, I was exhausted from my new routine but the morning air was intoxicating. I began to no-tice that I looked forward to sunrise yoga and I would get mad at myself when I slept in.

Myobsessionwith arising early was blooming. I had inadvertently joined The 5 AM Club. The members of this group seemed a little nuts, but they were also doing very well for themselves. I was curious to learn more.

5 AM WorksHow do I know that 5 AM is so effective at trans-forming your day? I live it.

I have been consistently exploding out of bed at 5 AM for years and I don't intend to stop. With a pre-determined, prioritized to-do list in hand and an effectivemorning routine I callThe Daily Dominator, I can get more done by 8 AM than most people accomplish all day.

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I have a lot of confidencein my system. I know it works and I know you can apply the sameprin-ciplesto your life and get even better results.

This book is about giving your best energy to your highest priorities. It's not simply a motiva-tional pep talk to wake up at an annoying hour of the day. Its focus is to create an opportunity for explosive growth. It's all about changing your mindset and your habits, not necessarily your sleep schedule.

Thenext few pages of this bookcontain action-able advice and reveal surprising insights that will help you bounce out of bed and dominate your day with gusto.

If you will wake up early with me and apply the concepts of this book, you will enjoy:

1. Impeccable clarity on your daily schedule 2. Explosive energy that lasts for hours 3. Unrivaledproductivity on your highest priori-ties

4. Addictive disciplines that will form new pow-erful habits 5. An incredibly positive attitude every day

I know that you might be skeptical. 5 AM is just a time of day, not aguaranteeof success. How-ever, the solidified positive habits that accom-pany an early morning routine can create expo-nential benefits long into the future.

You can hold me to this.

Get prepared to join The 5 AM Club - an exclu-sive group that allows anyone to join, knowing very few will.

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"Morning is when the wick is lit.A flame ignited, the day delighted withheat and light, we start the fight for

something more than before."- Jeb Dickerson

The Daily Dominator is a compilation of strate-gies based on my own experiences and successes with early morning routines. You can pick and choose which elements you want to include.

I recommend adopting as many as possible be-cause the more effective strategies you have working for you, the greater the benefits that you willreceive.

Domination is all about intentional effective-nessbased on high energy.

Effective means focused effort and progress on high-priority tasks.

High Energy means you have phenomenal men-tal and physical resources that allow you to

overcome barriers to start and continue work-ing hard.

I highly emphasize an energy-creating system be-cause it works.The foundation of higher produc-tivity is higher energy.

Within each of the strategies mentioned I have included a relevant link to a blog post on my website or other phenomenal resource.

These posts dive into each of these strategies in greater detail and include additional informa-tion so you can implement the ideas quickly and effectively.

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The DailyDominator

1.Explode Out of Bed @ 5:00 AM

When your alarm clock goes off - get up. Don't hit the snooze button. In fact, I recommendbuy-ing a clock without one.

If you like hitting the snooze (waking up slowly) and that strategy works well for you consis-tently, then you should stick with it.

However, I strongly advise against snoozing at all. Train your body to get up and go. It can be done. I promise you.

Does it Have to be Exactly 5:00 AM?No. 5 AM is a great time for most high-achievers because the average person wakes up at 6:45 AM.

This gives you a window of time to get impor-tant work done without distractions. Read the section later in this chapter on Focus.

However, you should pick the best time for you that allows for the most effectiveness and pro-ductivity. This may require some experimenta-tion.

Your morning wake-up call is directly affected by yourbed time and how much sleep you need to function optimally.

For example, I go to bed between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM, which allows for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

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My wife is asleep by 8:30 to 9:00 PM and is up at 6:00 AM the next morning. She averages 9-10 hours a night, or more when she needs it.

BONUS: If you are ready now to commit to 5:00 AM exactly, there is an iPhone app called 5 Club.

I didnt design it, but I should have. It allows you to check-in at 5:00 am on the dot each day. No other time is allowed.

Its a great way to see others who are awake with you and hold yourself accountable to get-ting up and taking action.

The Necessity of SleepThe quality and duration of your daily sleeping habits may be more important than anything else I discuss here.

Sleep is highly underrated and when you don't get what you need - you suffer.

It is imperative that you get consistently great sleep in order to feel your best. I have found that the earlier I go to bed, the better I feel the next day, which encourages me to go to bed early the next night as well.

Read more:The Necessity and Benefits of Sleep

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2. Get a Big Energy Boost

HydrationI start each morning by drinking one liter of pure water (either deionized or reverse osmosis wa-ter - not the water from the tap).

It ispure, tasty, and refreshing. It hydrates me and cleans out my body, which is a great way to wake up naturally.

Read more:Water Before Coffee

Work OutI know that some peopleprefer to exercise later in the day, but studies have proven again and again that people who work out early in the morning are moreconsistent and stick with their exercise routines considerably longer than every-one else.

My morning workouts are short and intense. I ei-t h e r d o 3 - m i l e t r a i l r u n o r a 2 0 -

minutesessionofburst training+ strength train-ing.

Read more:Building A Sustainable Exercise Pro-gram

NutritionBesides water, the natural sugars from fruit are the best sources of energy straight from Mother Nature. I start each day with a blender-full ofor-ganicfruit in addition to my espresso.

Yes, I do drink coffee but I don't necessarily rec-ommend it. I have battled back and forth on this issue for years and I cametothe conclusion that I like my life better with coffee than without it.

Everyone has their own addiction. This is mine.

Read more: 7 Intoxicating Reasons to Drink Green Smoothies

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Standing DeskThis is a topic I love to discuss because it in-trigues so many people. I built a standing desk a few years ago and the results have been out-standing! (get it? haha!)

But seriously, I have more sustained energy all day because I stand. I was initially inspired to make this switch from sitting to standing be-cause I learned that sitting causes considerably more heart attacks.

My experience has shown me that standing is the way to go.

Read more: 7 Amazing Benefits of a Standing DeskandHow to Custom-Build a Standing Desk

Meditation // Yoga // Prayer // Morning ReadingNot everyone wantstheir morning to launch like a rocket ship. Some people prefer to slowly ease into the day.

I experiment frequently with morning vs. eve-ning reading, yoga, meditation, and prayer.

I have found that the best time for these activi-ties is right after I wake up and before my morn-ing workout.

My brain is more open to reading, contemplat-ing, and thinking about new topics at that hour because I am not distracted by anything else, yet.

Read more:Daily Meditation for Beginners

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3. Already Have a Prioritized List and a Stellar Task Manager

The only way to ensure that you will have an ef-fective morning is to plan your day the night be-fore. It always amazes me how much more I get done when I have a list.

My wife and I joke all the time that if she leaves me a post-it note with tasks on it in the morn-ing, every item will be accomplished by dinner. That happens all the time.

The key to prioritization is to eliminate every-thing that is not urgent for today. Then cut the items that are not critical or important.

The remaining items are now the most impor-tant and urgent tasks to be completed.

I use an app on my Mac and iPhone called Nozbe. It is my dedicated task manager and it keeps my entire life organized.

I have talked extensively about Nozbe on my podcast because it is the best holistic GTD-based task management software for an individ-ual I have ever used.

By the way, GTD stands for Getting Things Done, a productivity methodology created by David Al-len.

I highly encourage you to read Davids book, Get-ting Things Done. It is foundational reading for anyone who considers themselves a productivity junkie.

Read more: Why You Should be Using Nozbe for Task Management

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4. Focus Focus Focus Focus Focus

When I stood at my desk to write this book I turned off my email program, left my phone onsilent in another room, turned on Focus@Will music softly in the background, and set a timer to force me to work under a deadline.

No one was home when I wrote this, except my dog, who I gave a hard-to-eat treat, so he would be completely distracted.

During my work time I didn't check email or face-book. I didn't allow myself any breaks except for the restroom and to get more food.

Throughout the process to complete this book, focus was critical, and it is imperative that I pri-oritize focus every single day.

Read more:Focus: A Simplicity Manifesto in the Age of Distraction[book] by Leo Babauta

5. Execute with Extraordinary Effi-ciency

It's always surprising to me that I can get a task completed much faster than I expected when I have a deadline.

It doesn't matter what the task is or when it's due, as long as I feel pressure and a sense of ur-gency, I get to work andexecuteefficiently.

I'm not going to recommend procrastination, but I will say that many people work better under the wire.

Keep that in mind and find a system that allows you to complete each item as quickly as possible.

I recommend setting a timer and not working for more than 90 minutes at a time without a break.

Read more:20 Seconds of Insane Courage

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6. Leave for Work / Start Your Day

It's now time to officially begin your work day. Get in the car, on the bus, or strap on your roller blades and get moving.

As you work throughout the day, focuson these same concepts of energy, priorities, focus, and efficient execution.

The morning hours are designed to address the most important tasks, but you are sure to have plenty more to tackle as the day progresses.

Keep the energy high and dominate you day.

7. Repeat Steps 1-6 Every Day

This is a lifestyle.

It is not a workweek schedule.

It is not a New Year's resolution or a fad.

This is how you could live every day from now on.

Give it a try.

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The 14-DayDominationChallenge

Here's your challenge to get up early and chan-geyour life:

1. Write it Down ::: Based on what you learned about The Daily Dominator in the previous chapter, write down everything you would like to accomplish before your workday be-gins (your top priorities).

2. Cut It ::: Intentionally eliminate any activity that is holding you back (sleeping in, watch-ing TV, surfing the web, etc.).

3. Create It ::: Create a detailed morning andeveningroutine based on your highest pri-

orities. You can use my routines listed later in this chapter as examples.

4. Don't Stop It ::: Hold yourself accountable by emailing someone else* every night, telling them what you were able to accomplish and what you were not. You can use a simple Goo-gle Drive checklist that isshared between the two of you.

5. Stick To It ::: Maintain this system for at least 14 days. You can modify the system on the weekends, but try to stay as close to yourrou-tine as possible.

6. Evaluate It ::: After 14 days, reassess what worked well and what did not. You should eas-ily be able to continue the system you have created indefinitely. That is the goal. This is a lifestyle change.

7. S h a r e I t : : : E m a i l m e at Jeff@JeffSanders.com and let me know how the system is working for you. Talk to

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meabout your breakthroughs, problems, ques-tions, and success stories.

8. Learn More About It ::: I highly recommend you check out the resources listed at the end of this chapter to gain further insight into healthy habits.

*If you would like me to be the other person who holds you accountable to your goals, check o u t m y c o a c h i n g p r o g r a m a t AmbitiousCoaching.com.

Jeff's 3-Hour Morning Routine

"Lose an hour in the morning,and you will be all day hunting for it."

- Richard Whately

You can model your morning after mine if you would like. This should give you a good idea as to the level of detail you may need to make your morning run smooth.

In the beginning, I recommend being as detailed as possible and carrying a checklist with you throughout the morning. Over time you will memorize the list and these activities will be-come solidified habits.

5:00 am- Get up and put on workout clothes5:05 am- Feed my dog Benny // Take vitamins5:15 am- Drink one liter of water

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5:25 am - Check email, facebook, website, etc.

5:30 am- Put on contacts // Take Benny on a walk

5:45 am- Make an americano // Eat 3 bananas5:55 am-Morning Reading6:25 am- Exercise (run, lift, yoga, etc.)7:15 am- Make my breakfast fruit smoothie7:35 am- Shower // Get dressed for the day8:00 am- Begin work

Alternative Plan: If this morning routine seems too detailed, make a plan that works for you. For example, you could list a few key items you want to accomplish without any times associ-ated with them.

This way you would know what to do and you wouldnt feel so tied to a schedule to ensure your own success. This system works for me, but I encourage you to make a system that moti-vates you to improve your day.

Jeff's Evening Routine1. Take Benny on a walk2. Dinner // Catchup with my wife Tessa3. Set goals for the following day4. Read for 30 minutes before bed5. Sleep at 9 pm (10 pm at the latest)

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The 5 AM ToolkitResources to help with the Transition

Popular Posts from JeffSanders.com

1.101 Innovative Ways to Begin Your Day2.Superstar Daily Rituals and Michael Hyatts

Morning Routine3.Top 10 Habits of Successful People4.7 Ways NOT to Start Your Ideal Day5.The Miracle Morning: an Interview with Hal El-

rod [podcast]6.Water Before Coffee7.Why You Should Be Using Nozbe for Task Man-

agement8.7 Intoxicating Reasons to Drink Green

Smoothies9.7 Amazing Benefits of a Standing Desk10.Top 10 Natural Energy Boosters

Other Great Resources

1. The 5 AM Miracle Community group on Face-book [request to join and I will approve you within 24 hours]

2. 5 Club [iPhone App] by Bryan Harris3. Slay Your Dragons Before Breakfast[blog post]

by Michael Hyatt4. Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procras-

tinating and Get More Done in Less Ti-me[book] by Brian Tracy

5. E.gg Timer[website]6. 20 Alarm Clocks to Wake You Up Creative-

ly[blog post]7. Focus: A Simplicity Manifesto in the Age of

Distraction[book] by Leo Babauta8. The Accidental Creative [book] by Todd Henry9. The Power of Full-Engagement: Managing En-

ergy, Not Time, is the Key to High-Performance and Personal Renewal [book] by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

10.The Early to Rise Experience: Learn to Rise Early in 30 Days [kindle book] by Andy Traub

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About JeffHey there! I'm Jeff Sanders, and I hope you en-joyed this short book.

I'm excited to hear about your journey, so feel free to connect with me online and let me know what big projects youre working on.Here's a little more about me:I am the host of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast.I am a productivity junkie, author, and coach.I love nothing more than running trail mara-thons while eating an incredible number of ba-nanas.

I post new content every week on my website at JeffSanders.com about healthy habits, personal development, and rockin productivity.

I am a husband to a beautiful woman named Tessa and a father to a quirky pug named Benny. The three of us live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Join the Facebook Community!

In case you are interested in joining an ambi-tious group of early risers where you ask ques-tions, get support, and share ideas, request to join The 5 AM Miracle Community group on Face-book. (I will approve your request within 24 hours!)

The community is an amazing place to stay con-nected with other people who are also actively working on transforming their lives, beginning at sunrise.

Click here to join.

Connect with Jeff:Email | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

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#5amMiracleThanks to #5amMiracle by @JeffSandersTV I

will be waking up bright and early! http://5amMiracle.com

Tweet that!

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