Yes, I know, it’s been a while since I’ve written. Not because I’ve had nothing to say, but because I wanted to adjust the way I say it.
Shorter. Sharper. Something I can send weekly, without the noise. I never want to be married to the way I do things, so I needed some time to figure out where I wanted to go next with it all. And now I have…
Four daily non-negotiables
I get asked a lot about routines, habits, discipline, and how I fit everything in. The truth is, I don’t really think in terms of hacks or optimisation anymore, instead, I think of it in terms of the standards I choose to live by.
These four are non-negotiable for me simply because when they’re in place, everything else tends to fall into line, yet when they slip, I feel it pretty quickly. In short, cause and effect.
Let’s go through them –
Waking early
Most days I’m up between 4 and 5am, usually around 4.30. Not because early mornings are impressive, but because they give me control. The day starts on my terms.
Once my family wakes up and responsibility kicks in, the day becomes reactive.
Early mornings are where I make progress on the things that actually matter to me, on and off the drums. The things that truly move me forward in life.
And for what it’s worth, this doesn’t mean I don’t sleep. Some nights are shorter than others, but most of the time I’m getting 6–8 hours, which is plenty.
Reading
Reading has become a daily anchor for me – philosophy, psychology, mindset, parenting, even books that push against my own beliefs. I like being challenged.
Reading has sharpened how I think, expanded my language, and improved my ability to focus. It’s one task, done properly, and without any noise. That alone feels quite rare these days.
Exercise
Exercise covers a lot of bases for me – longevity, mental health, performance as a drummer, discipline, stress regulation… the list goes on.
The key thing though, is consistency. What I have learned is it doesn’t need to be heroic, it just needs to happen. That’s all.
The biggest lie I see people tell themselves is “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Yet, as we all know, tomorrow has a habit of never showing up. It’s about now. Now. Now. Now.
Practice
Practice used to mean sitting down and just seeing what happened, because often when you are young, that is actually enough. Well, for me, it’s not anymore, and hasn’t been for some time.
Now it means showing up with true intention. 2 or 3 ideas at most, and aligned with my short and long-term goals.
Yes, there’s still room for fun and exploration (drums are fun, right!?!), but for progress, there needs to be structure, purpose, and a reason for being there, to help stay on track.
Direction keeps you focused, accountable, and honest.
The common thread here is pretty simple –
You don’t need more time, you just need clearer priorities and to get organised.
I don’t know your life or your schedule, only you do. So only you can crack your code. But you can. You just need to figure it out.
Remember, motivation will come and go, but it’s the standards which we choose to live by, that will stick around.
None of this is complicated, and you’ve probably heard it all before (especially from me), but knowing something and doing it are very different things.
So be honest with yourself. What are you still negotiating on every day?
I’ll leave you with that to mull over…
For now, lock in, log those reps, and have a great week.
Stay hungry and healthy,
Stan