“Win the morning, win the day.”
Tim Ferriss
I thought I was being creative when I created the title for this week’s newsletter, but I soon discovered that others had already used it.
Its meaning is no less powerful, even if it was not an original creation by me.
Joking aside, waking up early is critical to success and getting a little better every day.
This morning, I parked myself at a local coffee shop at 6 AM to start my day.
I started this habit of getting important work done at coffee shops years ago when I was still living in Japan.
Starbucks Japan and the Habit of Focus
Please do not take this as a shameless plug for Starbucks because it is not meant to be. It is intended to demonstrate why I got hooked on hanging out at Starbucks to focus on work that needed to be done.
Starbucks helped me learn the value of associating a positive and focused environment with meaningful work. Japan is home to some of the world’s most unique, beautiful, and culturally significant Starbucks locations. These stores are not only popular for their coffee but also for their architecture, integration with local culture, and scenic settings.
Here are some of the most iconic Starbucks in Japan:
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo (Nakameguro, Tokyo)
The world’s largest Starbucks, spanning four stories and 32,000 square feet, overlooks the Meguro River. Designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, it features unique offerings like Espresso Martinis, a tea bar, and a cocktail bar. When it opened in 2019, it drew massive crowds and remains a must-visit for design and coffee innovation fans.
Starbucks Dazaifu Tenmangu Omotesando (Fukuoka)
Designed by Kengo Kuma, this Starbucks is famous for its stunning wooden lattice architecture, blending traditional Japanese craftsmanship with modern design. Located on the approach to the historic Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, it’s a favorite for architecture enthusiasts and tourists alike.
Starbucks Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya (Kyoto)
Set in a 100-year-old renovated townhouse, this location blends traditional Kyoto aesthetics with the Starbucks experience. It features tatami seating and a historic ambiance, making it a unique spot to enjoy coffee in the heart of Kyoto’s heritage district.
The list is much longer than this.
Do a Google Search for yourself, look at the pictures, menus, and scenic views, and expect to be impressed with what you see.
My mainstay was a small Starbucks at Kunitachi Station. Nowhere near as impressive as the other locations I listed, it had this little incredible outdoor porch on the main street called Daigaku-Dori (University Street), named after the small but famous university, Hitotsubashi University.
I liked this location because of all the local foot traffic that would pass by, the fact that it was within walking distance of my home, and the fact that it was a wonderful place in the spring, when the cherry blossoms would bloom.
Starbucks in Japan helped me start a positive habit of being able to focus and get work done at coffee shops. The experience of being at the coffee shop was a positive one.
Nothing is Perfect
There is one significant difference between Starbucks and Japan.
Most Starbucks locations in Japan didn’t open until 7 AM or even 8 AM.
That meant I couldn’t start extremely early — I had to wait for the doors to open.
Still, the habit of associating a focused environment with meaningful work got deeply ingrained in me.
When I moved back to the United States, I realized something:
Coffee shops open much earlier.
Now, I didn’t have to wait.
I could get out of bed before sunrise, visit my local Starbucks, grab my first coffee, and tackle my most important work while the world still sleeps.
It was a small shift that made a huge difference.
Instead of feeling like I was squeezing focused time into my day, I now build my day around it.
Introduction to Habit Stacking
My morning ritual of going to Starbucks is important because it introduces the concept of Habit Stacking. Habit stacking is pairing a new habit with an existing one.
The goal is to make new behaviors easier to adopt by attaching them to something you already do. This concept, highlighted by Scott Adams and James Clear (Atomic Habits), is one of the most effective ways to build lasting routines.
Instead of starting from scratch, you take advantage of the momentum already built into your day. For example:
- If you already drink coffee in the morning, use that moment as your trigger to start writing, journaling, or working on a high-priority task.
- If you go for a morning walk, stack it with listening to a podcast that improves your mindset or skills.
The reason habit stacking works is that it reduces resistance. You don’t have to think about when to start a new habit—you link it to something you’re already doing.
This formula can reshape your routines quickly and with less mental effort. Over time, your mornings become a robust chain of positive actions.
The Benefits of Winning The Morning
I hope I did not bore you too much with my Starbucks Japan story.
There are many benefits to waking up in the morning before others.
While most of the world is lost in sleep or hitting the snooze button, focus on moving, building, and winning instead.
Make the first few hours after waking sacred.
The early hours will give you an unfair advantage.
Master them — and you master everything.
Here are some of the benefits you can enjoy:
You Own the Start of Your Day.
You’re not reacting to the world — you’re setting the tone. You’re on offense, not defense.
When you wake up early and move with intention, you’re making a powerful statement: “I control this day — this day does not control me.”
Most people wake up and immediately react to emails, texts, and notifications. Instead, wake up and act—create, decide, and move.
The first 60 minutes of your day set the tone for the next 16 hours. If you claim them, you’re already ahead. If you give them away, you’ll spend the rest of the day trying to catch up.
Own your morning, own your day.
Pure Focus.
There are no distractions, no noise. It’s just you, your thoughts, and your mission. That level of clarity builds momentum.
Early morning hours are a fortress.
No meetings.
No calls.
No interruptions.
Just you, your thoughts, and your work.
This is the rarest kind of focus: deep, undisturbed, creative.
You can produce more meaningful work between 5 AM and 8 AM than most people accomplish in a day of distractions.
The ability to carve out silence is a superpower in a noisy world.
Protect it. Weaponize it. Win with it.
Wins Stack Early.
Crushing your critical tasks first gives you a mental edge. You already have the advantage when others are just hitting their snooze button.
When you knock out your biggest mission early, everything afterward feels lighter. You walk into the rest of your day already victorious—your energy, your mood, your confidence—all elevated.
Momentum compounds.
One win leads to another.
Small victories turn into massive successes.
By stacking wins early, you stack your life with progress and power.
Discipline Sharpens.
Getting up early isn’t easy, but you strengthen your discipline muscle every time you do it. Discipline leads to freedom.
Waking up early is hard. That’s the point.
Whenever you fight the urge to sleep in and choose discipline, you reinforce the foundation of greatness: self-mastery.
Every early morning wake-up reminds you that you’re not here to live easily — you’re here to live excellently.
Discipline in the morning bleeds into discipline in your diet, fitness, relationships, and business. It all starts here.
Sharpen yourself while the world dulls itself.
Waking up earlier is hard, but it can be made easier when combined with something you enjoy doing.
I started this topic mainly because of the positive experience of going to coffee shops to focus on meaningful work.
It is much easier to establish the discipline of waking up early when combined with another positive and rewarding habit.
Coffee Becomes a Ritual of Readiness.
I’ll admit, I slipped this one in here.
I love coffee, so it’s an added perk of waking up early, but it also illustrates the concept of habit stacking—pairing a new habit with an existing one. When you tie a new habit to something you already enjoy, success becomes more achievable.
Waking up early starts to feel natural, not forced. That cup of coffee isn’t just caffeine—it’s a ritual, a signal to your mind that says, “It’s time to get to work.” Rituals matter because they shape your identity. In this case, coffee becomes a tool—a stacked habit.
By combining two small habits, habit stacking creates a powerful loop: wake, prepare, focus, execute. Use your coffee as a launch sequence to kickstart waking up early and winning the day!
You Create Space for Your Purpose.
By completing your work early, you free up mental space later in the day for the things that matter most: your family, your health, and your personal growth.
This is significant because I often juggle too many priorities, distracting me from what truly matters—my kids. I sometimes become impatient with everyone when I try to tackle competing tasks while my family needs my attention.
When you handle your critical work early, you unlock the rest of your day to invest in what’s truly important:
- Training your body
- Strengthening your mind
- Building deeper connections with your family
- Pursuing projects that ignite your passion
Instead of scrambling from task to task in survival mode all day, you can operate from a place of strength and clarity. Having already tackled your non-negotiables, you’re free to live intentionally.
You Separate Yourself from the Average.
Most people waste their mornings. A Day Warrior builds during them. Over weeks, months, years — that difference becomes massive.
Most people aren’t willing to pay the price of discipline.
Most people drift. Most people react. Most people wish.
Every early morning is a step away from mediocrity and a step toward mastery.
Every early morning is an opportunity to learn something new.
Every early morning is an opportunity to get better than you were the day before.
The change isn’t instant, but over time, it becomes undeniable.
Weeks become months.
Months become years.
And suddenly, you are standing on a mountain built of mornings that most people slept through.
When you win enough mornings, you do not just change your days, you reshape your entire journey towards success.
Methods to Win The Morning
Habit Stacking.
Pair a new habit with an old one. Enjoy your coffee? Stack that with writing, planning, or focused work. This creates a positive loop that’s easier to maintain.
Prepare the Night Before.
Set out your clothes, prep your bag, or outline your tasks. Remove friction so morning execution becomes automatic.
Set a Bedtime Alarm.
Yes, bedtime. Waking up early starts the night before. Treat sleep like a performance enhancer—because it is.
If I stay up too late, I notice a difference in my ability to wake up early and face the day. Consistently getting to bed at a reasonable time is key to waking up early and getting your first wins for the day.
Start Small, Be Consistent.
Don’t try to become a 4 AM machine overnight. Start with 15-minute improvements. Consistency beats intensity.
Personally, 4 AM is not something I am excited about. My goal is to get into the coffee shop when it opens. That means a 5 AM to 5:30 AM wake-up time.
Additionally, you have to figure out what works for you. A 4 AM wake-up time would mean I would need to go to bed at least by 8 PM to get the amount of sleep I need. 8 PM just does not work at this point in my life, with my two crazy young boys I want to spend time with.
Create a Focused Environment.
For me, this is my local coffee shop. Find what works for you.
Whether it’s a coffee shop, a desk near a window, or a quiet room—make it intentional. Where you work affects how you work.
Closing Thoughts
You have a decision to make every morning: Comfort vs. Courage.
Winning the morning is about more than productivity. It’s about self-respect. It’s about showing yourself every day that your goals matter.
You don’t need to do everything before sunrise. But if you can get your most important work done before the world starts pulling at your attention, you gain an edge most people never discover.
Combining early mornings with focused coffee shop sessions became my cornerstone habit. It aligned with my rhythm, gave me momentum, and proved that discipline pays off.
You might find a different routine that works for you. That’s great. The point is to claim the first part of your day, on your terms.
When you rise early, prepare yourself, and execute your mission, you become more dangerous, capable, and alive.
You become a true Day Warrior.
The Day Warrior
How to find more content from The Day Warrior:
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please subscribe.
If you want to provide feedback, please take The Day Warrior Survey.
If you want to have a deeper discussion about this subject, please get in touch with The Day Warrior.
Follow me on X for daily short and long-form content: @thedaywarrior.
My LinkedIn information is here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-day-warrior/
I am also on Instagram: @thedaywarrior.
My website is http:/thedaywarrior.com.
“Never blindly accept what you read online. Always challenge it with an open and critical mind.”
The Day Warrior
