This sucks

It's 4am and we're waiting for the cab to take us to the airport for a freakishly early flight and I can't help but think of Mark Black.

I have nothing against Mark, and in fact I think he's a great speaker, but when I saw him last fall, I was struck by something he said.

Mark was talking about his successful life, and how he's overcome adversity (and he certainly has). One of the things he said was a "secret" to his success was that he gets up early every day and gets things done before everyone else is even awake and he felt this gave him a head start on the day. I've always thought this was absurd and fallacious, but this morning it feels even more so.

I'm not a morning person. I never have been, and I doubt I ever will be one. When it comes to work, the "secret" to my success has been to be well-prepared. Every teacher knows this. For me, this meant not going to sleep until everything was done for the next day. It just bugged me too much for me to sleep, so I did it before I hit the sheets. What's ironic, and points out the fallacy in Mark's argument, is that by staying up late, we night owls get things done before those early-morning-loving freaks even get up! Talk about a head start on the day.

No, Mark, the secret to your success was not getting up early - it was being prepared, working hard, having amazing self-determination and a strong will to succeed.

Just like everyone else who's ever been successful.