A six-step morning routine to engineer a great day

Executive overview

Most people treat good days as luck. A structured morning routine makes them repeatable. Noah Kagan's Make Your Morning formula is six steps that prime mind and body before the day's demands take over.

Start small, commit for 30 days, and cut anything that doesn't work for you.

The routine works for you — you don't work for it.

The six steps

1. Make your bed — instant win, builds early confidence
2. 30 pushups (or one) — physical movement sets the body right, which sets the mind right
3. Journal — use notes or a voice memo for 10–30 min; creating something produces clarity
4. Read or watch something — learn one skill daily, any domain
5. Read yearly goals and personal mantra — daily repetition makes goals believable and identity concrete
6. Daily gratitude — one small thing, logged via a timed voice memo reminder

Making the formula stick

• Start with just one step (make your bed), add others gradually
• Commit for 30 days — enough time to identify what works
• Use a checklist app (e.g. Strides) so travel doesn't break the habit
• Keep your phone out of the bedroom; check it only after completing the routine
• Skip the routine on weekends — recovery matters
• Remove steps that don't help; the list is not fixed
• No texts, Instagram, Slack, or email until the routine is done
• Practice single-tasking during journaling — trains focus that carries into the rest of the day

Two bonus additions

• Compliment someone daily — helping others produces a positive feedback loop
• Do one thing for yourself — something small you'll look forward to