A Person Who Exists

If you’ve been active on the internet recently, you’ve probably stumbled upon a certain viral video, the morning routine of an influencer named Ashton Hall. Anyone with half a brain will realize that the video’s only purpose is to drive up engagement to his content. Ashton Hall, however successful he is, is not successful because he wakes up at 3:52 AM to take tape off his mouth, go outside, do push-ups, meditate, and journal. He’s successful because he built habits over time that allow him to live the life he lives today. I will not go over what I think he does every morning, but the sheer ridiculousness of the routine in question should at least tell you that there’s not a chance in hell that his real morning routine is as convoluted as that. No one is successful because they rub banana peels on their face or dunk their head in a bowl of water that costs $3 a bottle. Can you imagine how unsustainable that might be in the long run?

For most of us, our morning routines consist of the following: getting out of bed, brushing our teeth, eating breakfast, then getting on with our days. I’m sure a lot of people look at their phones as soon as they wake up. I know I do. But the reality of it is, what we do every day sets us up in the long run. Nobody wakes up and becomes successful overnight. That’s not how the world works. Success is the product of what is done consistently, not what is done once.

Let me give you an example. A great habit for most people would be getting some exercise. While you don’t have to work out every single day to be healthy, setting aside time to move your body does wonders for your health, both physical and mental. The thing about working out is that it’s not something you get dividends on if you just do it once in a blue moon. For your body to adapt to the stresses you give it, it needs to be consistently trained in that manner. No one builds muscle by doing 1000 bicep curls in a day. All that will do is possibly give you rhabdomyolysis. You build muscle by doing an exercise multiple times over a long period.

Another good example would be playing an instrument. Let’s say I play guitar for 3 hours one day. If I wanted to learn a song, I highly doubt I’ll be able to play anything that well by the time my 3-hour practice session is over. I might learn a few parts, maybe master some. But what use is all that practice if I’m unable to replicate my actions the next time I pick up my guitar? It will be all for naught if I spend the next few days ignoring my guitar. By then, I’ll forget my finger placement, my calluses will heal, and I won’t remember what note I need to hit next. Maybe I will make progress, but I believe no one would argue that spending an hour each day for 3 days would be a far more productive use of my time. If anything, practicing consistently will result in far greater progress. Besides, it’s much easier to take an hour each day to do something instead of cramming as much as you can in 3. Small steps done consistently will beat a big step done just when it’s convenient.

Ultimately, we have to realize that the key to success isn’t in some magical morning routine. It’s good to be productive. It’s good to rise and grind. You have to put in the work. No one will disagree with that. However, it has to be a conscious decision. Structuring your daily life around making efficient use of your time will do more for you than waking up early just to be “productive” if “being productive” requires you to spend 3 hours doing essentially nothing. That’s time better spent getting actual work done. Again, whether you play an instrument, lift weights, or even write, you’ll get far better results if you do it for an hour each day instead of 7 hours in one day. The same applies to the rest of your life. What you do every day impacts how everything else turns out. As for me, I’ll be sticking to my routine of waking up and then heading straight to the gym at 3 AM. It’s a far more productive use of my time to get right to it—as long as I do it the day after, and the day after that, of course.

~Con R, April 2, 2025