Dominate Your First 90 Minutes To Change Your Life — and the World
Back in 2014, Admiral William McRaven delivered to the graduating class of the University of Texas what would become one of the most widely viewed commencement addresses of all time. His advice was simple, powerful, and unexpected:
“If you want to change the world, start by making your bed.”
His message wasn’t really about linens it was about momentum. Starting the day with discipline, order, and a small win signals to your mind and body that you’re ready to go. You’ve already accomplished something. You’re off on the right foot.
And that same principle applies beyond your bed.
If you’ve ever tried water skiing, you know the first rule: Get your skis up. If you don’t get upright before the boat accelerates, you’ll end up face-first in the water. But when you do get your skis up — when you hit the right posture at the right time — you rise quickly, smoothly, and in control. (h/t Coach Lea)
That’s how we should approach the start of every day.
Now, I’m not talking about a complicated 17-step morning routine with supplements, saunas, and a side hustle. I’m talking about owning the first 90 minutes — the early morning before the world starts making demands on your time and attention. These minutes set the tone. They build momentum, reinforce discipline, and create a baseline that makes “redlining” later in the day much less likely.
Dominate these 90 minutes, and the rest of the day feels less like a fight and more like a flow.
What does owning the first 90 minutes look like?
· Get up early. Get moving. Eliminate the need to hit the snooze button (which will require good sleep habits, a topic for next time) and take control of your day from the moment you open your eyes. Choose to be a morning person — not because the choice is trendy but because it gives you the jump-start to build your own momentum.
· Make your bed. Start with a win. Start with order.
· Move your body. Physical challenge early builds endurance — mental and emotional.
· Pray or reflect and be grateful. Center yourself spiritually before the noise sets in.
· Write, plan, or read. Signal to your mind that you’re in charge.
· Eat or fuel intentionally. Your body sets the pace for your brain.
These habits aren’t about checking boxes. They’re about creating agency — a posture of “I lead my day,” not “My day leads me.” Life shouldn’t just happen to you. It should be shaped by you.
As Will Durant once wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Your day isn’t won in the final meeting — it’s won before the first meeting begins.
And here’s the good news: This isn’t about perfection. It’s about iteration. You’ll learn what works. You’ll drop what doesn’t. What matters most is the commitment to never stop tweaking. Keep showing up. Keep testing. Keep refining. Above all, get up and get moving.
We owe the people we lead — and to those who count on us at home — to show up as the best versions of ourselves.
That effort begins when we dominate the first 90 minutes of our day.
Make your bed. Get your skis up.
Dominate the first 90.
Then go change the world.
Of Skis and Making Your Bed was originally published in Horizon Performance on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
