My Sleep is Worth More Than “Discipline Theater”
Finding balance without the pressure of early-morning routines.
You’ve heard it millions of times over the past 10 years.
“You should wake up at 5 a.m. It will change your life.”
There even is a book called “The 5 AM Club”, in which the author Robin Sharma explains how the early hours of the day can be the foundation for creativity, productivity, and peace.
He built an entire philosophy around it, teaching leaders, artists, and athletes that the first hour sets the tone for everything that follows.
But that’s just not for me (and a lot of other people).
In this article, I’ll talk about 5 reasons I won’t join the 5 A.M. club.
1. My Creativity Doesn’t Wake Up That Early
In the book, he talks about how the early morning hours are a “Victory Hour” — a holy moment of opportunity to let your creativity flow; good for deep work, creativity, and problem-solving.
The idea is that fewer distractions and a rested mind create the perfect storm for brilliant moments.
But you know, creativity doesn’t run on a universal clock.
For some of us, including me, creative ideas don’t just appear at sunrise. They can, but it’s rare. I have these moments on an evening walk, during a late-night writing session, or other peaceful moments.
Forcing creativity that early in the morning doesn’t work for me.
Sharma writes, “Take excellent care of the front end of your day, and the rest of your day will pretty much take care of itself.”
That may work for early risers, but for me the front end of my day is slow, instable, and far from inspired. My best work comes once the world is already awake, not before it.
2. My Sleep is Worth More Than “Discipline Theater”
“Take excellent care of the front end of your day, and the rest of your day will pretty much take care of itself.” he writes.
His point is that a 5 a.m. mornings create momentum that lasts until evening.
I don’t know man, I’m just tired.
Because it ignores one thing: sleep.
If you’re only getting five or six hours a night just to wake up early, you’re trading real rest for the appearance of discipline: “Discipline Theater”.
Sleep is essential, says who? Science!
Research shows that too little sleep hurts focus, memory, and decision-making. One large study also found that around seven hours a night is best for brain performance, while less (or even more) leads to worse results.
In other words, cutting sleep to wake up at 5 a.m. won’t make you sharper; it will do the opposite.
3. Routines Must Fit in Your Life
In “The 5 AM Club”, Sharma says that the most productive people in the world wake up early to “install world-class habits.”
He calls this the “20/20/20 formula.”
Twenty minutes of exercise, twenty of reflection, twenty of learning. It sounds neat, but life isn’t neat. Not everyone has the luxury or wants to take out the first hour of the day in silence.
Simple example: you’ve got children, mornings are often chaotic before they even begin.
Strict habits don’t work for people with real lives.
A habit of routine that needs a perfect 5 a.m. start will eventually collapse the moment life throws something unexpected at you; and this always happens.
The frustration of failing the routine then creates guilt and your motivation is gone.
What to do instead?
Build habits around your life.
If reflection works best for you at night, make it a night habit. If exercise fits better in the afternoon, put it there. It doesn’t matter.
A routine should serve your life, not force your life to serve a routine.
4. It’s Better to be Consistent Than Extreme
One of the promises in “The 5 AM Club”, is radical transformation.
One of the classics: wake at 5, follow the formula, and your life will change.
Sharma uses words like “wage a war against weakness and launch a campaign against fearfulness”. Bit extreme if you ask me.
It can sound powerful, but extremes rarely last long.
Look, anyone can push themselves into a strict routine for a week or two — no problem at all. I’ve done this before, but it doesn’t work.
The system collapses when something happens (where I wrote something I mean life).
The truth is boring and simple but often true: consistency always wins.
Remember that.
I’d rather wake up at 7 every day for years than force myself to 5 for two weeks.
Realistic habits beat extreme sprints every day.
Final Thoughts
Although “The 5 AM Club” is inspiring, it’s not a universal cure for anything.
Waking up early might work for some of us, but not for all. The conclusion is much simpler: create a habit or routine that you can live with.
For me that means that I have enough sleep.
Success doesn’t come from what time you wake up, it’s created from showing up consistently, rested and ready, in a way that fits your life.
Because in the end, it’s not about when you wake up — it’s about how awake you are to the life you’re living.
Thank you. I hate when people try and box in everything, including the whole of human race into their own imaginary tiny little frameworks and boxes. It's an insult to how unique people are.
I have been sleeping at 3 am for 18 years. The best of my ideas come to me after midnight. I don't have health issues. I go for runs sometimes at 1 am.