Snooze Buttons are the Enemy (and Other Rules for Building Hustle Daily)

Listen: Start With a Win podcast, Episode 1: Building Hustle Daily

When I was a teenager pumping gas for customers at a Chevron station in south Denver, I never imagined I’d one day be CEO of an international powerhouse. I didn’t know that the station on the corner of Belleview and South Syracuse, where I worked throughout high school, would be replaced years later by the headquarters of a real estate giant – the one I now helm. 

I couldn’t predict it. But I certainly worked toward it. Every single day. 

I still do. 

Success doesn’t come to those who don’t seek it. I believe strongly that it’s a choice to create a life worth living, worth waking up to and worth sharing with the world around you. So my focus remains on winning. For my team, the brokers and agents we serve, my family and for myself. Here are the rules I follow for building hustle daily – and my advice on how we can all start with a win.

Snooze buttons are the enemy.

Stop putting off the inevitable and wake up already. That’s your first win of the day. Decide today is the day to make a difference. Get going. Need motivation? How about some science: A Sleep Junkie study of 1,000 Americans found that the more times a person hits the snooze button, the less satisfied they are with things. Start meeting the day head-on. Yes, waking up early sucks – my alarm sounds at 4:25 a.m. and, trust me, it’s not fun. But to me, rushing is one of the worst feelings in the world. Prevent it. 

Prepare today for a win tomorrow.

Struggling to make it work in the morning? Preparation makes all the difference. Find your routine and stick with it. Routines turn into habits, and habits turn into success. I can’t stress that enough. For you, that might mean getting your inbox down to zero or prepping meals for the week. For me, it’s ensuring I sleep better by fueling my body – always with a green drink and some protein – and laying out my clothes for the next day. Simple wins.

Do the important things, even if they’re unpleasant.

As humans, we naturally benchmark and compare. For better or for worse, we score our way through life. That’s why I like measurable wins that pay dividends.