Yesterday my wife asked me how I’m able to get up so early on a daily basis.

I said, “Not easily.”

That answer is true, but there’s more to it. See, during the week I average around six hours of sleep per night. I’m in bed after 9 and up between 3:30 and 4:00.

I do this because I have a day job I’m not fond of, in a career that I’m over with. It’s time to move on to the next chapter. Unfortunately, this job consumes most of my daily hours. And putting in the work to learn and create new opportunities also requires a lot of time.

Sleep is incredibly important in maintaining mental and physical health. This is well-known. Though sacrificing a little for the sake of the bigger picture is worth it to me. I’ve burnt out on occasion. But I’ve also learned to see it coming and take care to get more rest when I do.

Waking while the city around me remains shrouded in sleep and silence is hard. Knowing that I don’t need to do it makes it more difficult. I could sleep for another two hours most mornings, wake up feeling rested, without concern of burn-out.

But then I’d be stuck in the same loop, the one I’m trying to escape.

This is why I’m able to get up at 3:30. Because it gives me the opportunity to work on my own projects, to learn and build and create my future life.

The motivation to break free from my old routine trumps the desire to hit the snooze button. It gives me the boost to pull myself together while so many others remain in blissful slumber.

Is it easy? Not at all.

But it’s worth it.