The Morning Myth

CHAPTER 7 Night Owls Are More Successful: The Early Birds Just Don’t Make As Much Money

It all comes down to one thing: Early risers who get up at the crack of dawn tire far earlier than their night owl counterparts and, overall, experience fewer productive hours each day.

In other words, night owls make more money and are generally more successful in life because they have more usable, productive working hours available, despite the common myth that getting up super early is the only way to accomplish this and to “make more time,” as idiots who cannot do basic math and understand that we all get the same 24 hours every day will tell you.

There’s no way to “make more time.” All you can do is make the most of the time you have. And that amount of time is the same for all of us, unlike our biological chronotypes, which can vary wildly from anywhere from 24 hours for extreme early risers and 25 hours for extreme night owls, or those with delayed sleep phase disorder.

The Night Owl Experience That Set Me Free

To demonstrate, let me tell you a story.

Back in September of 2001, I was on top of the world sales-wise and was beyond 100% of my monthly number by the 10th of the month.

Then September 11, 2001 happened.

What I remember most about that day—and I remember it vividly, as most people do—was getting up for work on Phoenix time, and since Arizona does not practice Daylight Saving Time, the time difference between Phoenix and “back home” in New Jersey was three hours.

As always, ...