The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur

August 14Greet the Dawn

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of a person to elevate their life by a conscious endeavor. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.

Henry David Thoreau—Walden (1854)

Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we as human beings are granted is the gift of a new day.

No matter how bleak or hopeless today might seem, there's always tomorrow.

It's no secret that the most successful men and women claim that their success lies in their morning rituals. While we are each granted the gift of the new day, some take full advantage of this natural rhythm to greet the dawn as an opportunity to set the quality of their entire day.

This “highest of arts,” as Thoreau calls it, takes practice and persistence, but the payoff regarding focus and productivity makes it a worthy investment.

To develop your morning ritual(s), look first to your most important priorities and feed these before all else.

For entrepreneurs, this often includes finding a centering thought for the day, exercise, planned nutrition, and connection with the highest vision for their life.

You are the master of the “very atmosphere and medium through which we look,” and how you start today will likely determine ...