Getting up early is now a thing. At least for younger generations. A recent viral video from a social media influencer named Ashton Hall of his detailed morning routine that starts around 4 a.m. has prompted mass reaction, including copycat and parody posts from celebrities, businesses and everyday people.
While Hall's routine is impressive, the idea of waking up early to get things done is hardly revolutionary. In recent years, CEOs like Bob Iger and Tim Cook have touted their pre-dawn routines as part of the path to success. But older generations are not so impressed. Rod Windham, iHeartMedia sales executive and Vietnam veteran, tells KTRH this mentality is more of the 'participation trophy' culture so prevalent with Gen Z. "In other words, all you've got to do is participate and you're going to be rewarded," he says. "I never was in favor of that, for me you got rewarded for producing."
Windham notes he woke up before dawn for years, during his time in the military and later in the intensely driven world of sales. But he never needed to make a big deal about it or seek praise for it like today's generation. "Getting up at 4 o'clock was no big deal for us," he says. "We could go for a jog, come back, shower, eat breakfast, and be in the office by 7:30, and we got so much done. So, in my opinion anybody can adapt and get up early if they need to."
For Windham, it's ultimately not about when you wake up, but what you accomplish when you do. "There's a time and a place for everything if you want to do (wake up videos)," he says. "But nobody cares that you got up at 4 o'clock, and you're not going to get extra points for that."
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