The 5AM Club – Book Review
The way you begin your day determines the extent of your focus, energy, excitement, and excellence you bring into it. Each early morning is a page in the story that becomes your legacy.
The 5am Club is written like a fictional story and Sharma uses the characters and their experiences to convey the message. The story is cheesy but the advice in the book is solid.
Some of the advice I already know from other books such as 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, or Atomic Habits. And some advice was new.
If you have read many self-help books, then it is possible that you already know many of the tips present in them. Nothing is revolutionary, but the books give you tips on how to get up early every morning, why you should do it, and how you should use that time.
I picked up this book because I want to start getting up earlier. I am always pressed for time, and I want an hour or two before work to do some self-care and work.
About author Robin Sharma
The 5 AM Club is the 12th book that Robin Sharma published. It is one of his most famous books, together with The Leader Who Had No Title, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, and Who Will Cry When You Die.
All of his books are focused on lifestyle, meaning, productivity, and leadership. In total, Sharma sold over 20 million books worldwide.
Why I read The 5AM Club
For a while now I have been struggling with getting up early. And with kids, I have difficulty achieving everything I want in a day.
I also like to read, and write and want some quiet time when I can do it. Without interruptions by kids or noise.
I find that self-help books are very motivational. If you are struggling to motivate yourself to start a new habit, often the book gives you that final push to start.
So I pick my books based on topics I want to work on.
What the book is about
The book tells a story about two struggling strangers who meet an eccentric tycoon who becomes their secret mentor. The 5am Club will walk you through:
- How the world’s wisest people start their mornings to produce great achievements
- How to wake up early feeling inspired and focused
- What to do when you wake up
- Tactics to defend your talents and dreams against digital distraction and trivial diversions
Tips on how to get up earlier
The book offers many tips on how to develop the habit of getting up early. The main premise is that if you can continue doing so for 66 days, you will develop a habit, and getting up at 5 am will become automatic.
- Move your wake-up time slowly
My plan is to start getting up 1 hour earlier than now. I generally wake up at 7 am, so now I am going to push to 6 am. Start waking up earlier bit by bit, until you reach the ideal time you want to wake up.
2. Get up as soon as the alarm rings
Do not give your brain time to come up with excuses why you should not get up, and why you should sleep just 5 minutes longer. I do this all the time, I keep pressing the Snooze button.
What you should do when you get up
The most important thing is to know what you are going to do and have everything ready.
Sharma proposed the 20/20/20 rule for a revolutionary morning routine.
- First 20 minutes: Vigorous physical activity lowers cortisol, which is highest in the morning. Exercise will help you wake up and be ready for the day.
- Next 20 minutes: Once you’re done with completing some fine cardio, switch gears and take a breather to meditate. For example, you can think about your day ahead and journal.
- Last 20 minutes: For the last part, it is time to learn and boost personal growth. You can read a book or tune into podcasts.
The whole routine now depends on what you like to do. I don’t meditate for 20 minutes, but I spend some quiet time on my balcony, and then I journal and read.
What to do in the evening
To prepare for the early rise, you need to have a strict evening routine. That means you need to be in bed by 9 pm, and asleep by 10 pm. And you need to turn off your devices at least one hour before bed.
You also need to make sure that you eat your dinner a couple of hours before getting into bed.
Unless you sleep for at least 7-8 hours, you will wake up tired and then your morning routine will not make much sense.
Conclusion
Cheesiness aside, the book 5am Club by Robin Sharma contains valuable information that can help you organize your day. It’s not the best-written book out there, and some ideas have been rehashed in multiple books. But if you need motivation to change your morning routine, then this book can help you.
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