There are two types of people in this world: those who sit around and let others obtain fame and renown and those who seize that glory for themselves. The fact here is simple—those who want to be the fame seizers are getting to school at 7:30 a.m. if not earlier. End of story.
A lot of has been made recently about how America is falling behind in the world. And you know what, it’s true and it’s also our own fault. Do you think that kids in China or Japan are lazily strolling into school at 9:00 am? No, they’ve been there been there since five, and that’s why they’re five years ahead of you in math.
The world doesn’t wait until noon to start functioning; it is constantly in motion. Do you think that Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan slept until lunchtime? No, no they didn’t: they were up at the crack of dawn, ready to conquer the world.
Don’t get me wrong; I love sleep as much as the next person. It’s sometimes painful to pry myself out of bed in the morning, but, every day, without fail, I manage to get myself to school on time. You’re not going to be able to stroll into work at anytime you please; the mindset should be the same for school.
Most scientists estimate that an average human spends one third of his or her life sleeping. That is over 20 years that you’ll waste on meaningless dreams. Don’t increase that time; take control of your life, and make the most you can from it. Maximize every minute.
However, we can’t ignore the fact that sleep is necessary for our survival. Here’s another fact: if you don’t sleep for 11 days straight, you will die. That statistic shouldn’t really worry you though; I mean, when was the last time you casually pulled 11 consecutive all-nighters? My point is that it would be wise to respect sleep as a necessary evil. Don’t deprive yourself to the point of exhaustion, but also don’t let sleep dictate your life. Set a schedule and stick to it; you have to be the one calling the shots.
Some might make the claim, “How am I supposed to be successful throughout my day if I constantly feel tired?” You know what, that is a fair point that I am going to address now. Like I said, we must respect sleep. One cannot simply wake up at any hour and expect to feel completely refreshed. There are techniques one must employ to remain sharp throughout the day.
One possible method is to set your alarm for a good 10 minutes earlier than you actually need to wake up. You can then remain in a half sleep mode for this additional time, which will leave you feeling much better rested.
Another strategy is to exercise in the morning. Go on a run, do some sit-ups; just do something to get your heart beating. You’ll find that lingering tiredness soon abates with the aid of physical exercise.
Last, eat a good breakfast. How can you expect your body to perform to its maximum if you do not provide it with the proper fuel for the day? It’s simply nonsensical.
So, to those who say that the start time at Staples should be pushed back, I have one simple question: do you want to seize the world and make it your own? If the answer is no, then I have nothing left to say.
Sleep to your heart’s content. If the answer is yes…then go and set that alarm.
