Hey Siri, Shut Up! Learning to Beat the Morning

What small morning wins taught me about movement, mindset, and not hating myself before 9AM.

One Simple Thing to Start Your Day

Mornings and I have always had a complicated relationship.

I hate getting out of bed early — I’ll admit it right away. Most of you reading this are better than me. At least you’re hitting snooze; I’m worse — I just yell, "Hey Siri, shut up!" from under the covers and pretend I’m negotiating with time itself.

But whenever I do manage to get up a little earlier and knock out a couple of small things — not an entire checklist, just one or two good moves — something shifts. The whole day seems to go better.
Work feels smoother. Training feels less forced. Even small, annoying errands feel slightly less annoying.

And I’ve realized: it’s not just a physical effect — it’s psychological too.
If I can get even one simple thing done right after waking up, I already feel like I’ve "won" something.
That small positive momentum carries me forward into everything else.
Instead of chasing the day, I’m leading it.

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What I learned from the real pros

Now, I’m just an average guy trying to piece together better habits.
But this pattern — the power of one small morning win — keeps coming up in conversations with world-class athletes on Ageless Athlete.

Over and over, it shows up:
Not necessarily some massive, grueling routine. Just one meaningful thing to claim the morning.

• Shawn Dollar, world-record big wave surfer, starts his mornings with a cold shower — not an ice bath, just a cold blast to wake up and reset​

• Heidi Wirtz, climber and adventurer, carves out a little space for yoga and meditation — a few minutes to center herself before the world starts rushing in​

• Matt Samet, longtime climber and author, simply walks his dog — letting fresh air and movement frame the start of his day​

Different sports, different routines — but the same basic idea:
Start small. Start deliberate. Start on your own terms.

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(No cold shower this morning — primitive camping in the Eastern Sierra meant low water. But I got up early, stretched, walked Raja, and felt like I truly ‘earned’ the warmth of the sun on my face as it rose behind the snowy peaks)

If you’re thinking about trying something, here’s what’s worked for me:

Start with one thing. And make it so simple that it feels almost laughable to skip.

Here are a few ideas from me:

• Go for a brisk walk, even if it’s just five minutes around the block.

• Do a short yoga sequence — a few stretches or poses, just enough to get your body moving and feel your breath. No need for 20 sun salutations or a full flow.

• Finish your normal hot shower with a few seconds of cold water — not an ice plunge, just enough cold to wake up your system.

• Resist checking your phone immediately. Instead, journal maybe? Jot down two quick lines in a notebook before opening your messages.

The real point isn’t about building some Instagram-worthy morning routine.
It’s about setting a tiny, meaningful tone for your day — a tone you chose.

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Where I’m at now

Today, my morning is pretty simple: a short yoga activation to get the joints moving and the muscles woken up, followed by a cold shower.
I’ll be honest — it’s easier here in Mexico where the mornings are warm.
But I’m trying to build the habit strong enough that when I'm back in colder places, it sticks.

The biggest difference I feel?
Movement first thing in the morning makes me feel more limber all day.
It’s easier to reach, to twist, to climb, to sit down at my desk — without feeling like I’m creaking like an old door hinge.

And most of all, there’s that psychological boost:
The day already feels like a win, and the ripple effect carries into every other thing I do.

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So if you’re looking to tweak your mornings a little — don’t overthink it.
Pick one thing.
Keep it tiny.
Start tomorrow.

Warmly,
Kush

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ps - And if you want more inspiration from athletes who've built entire careers on the foundation of small, deliberate habits, some of their stories are waiting for you on the Ageless Athlete Podcast