Orlean Routine: Anchors, Not Shackles

I do wake up ‘around’ the same time every day, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The point of a routine isn’t to follow it with religious precision, it’s to have something you can spring back to when you get off track. And you should get off track. You should wander, wonder, try something new, lose your grip now and then. That’s how you find out what matters.

Sure, you need anchors, habits that ground you, give you peace, purpose, and direction. But this idea that you’ll wake up at the exact same second every morning for the rest of your life? That’s absurd. Life isn’t linear. What if you were up late helping someone? What if your flight was delayed? What if a storm hit, or you just had something on your mind? The “perfect routine” sounds good online, but that’s all it is, an idea.

Waking up early has its benefits. I do it. I like being up with the sun, part of the day, present in it. But I also respect people who live differently, night shift workers, creatives, hospital staff, pilots, flight attendants, whoever. It’s not about proving anything. It’s about alignment. Does the way you wake up serve you? If it does, great. If not, change it.

Blocking every hour of your day sounds nice. You’ll do it for a while, and it works, until it doesn’t. Same thing I tell elite athletes: “You can’t train for peak performance endlessly into the abyss.” There’s a rhythm to greatness. You push, you rest, you adapt.

Let’s talk about morning routines, the cold plunge, the journal, the 15-minute breathwork video. Look, I’m not here to hate. These things have value. But don’t let them become checklists that make you feel guilty. Do the stuff that makes you stronger. That’s it. Maybe that’s a workout. Maybe it’s silence. Maybe it’s prayer. Maybe it’s a walk. But if your “routine” becomes a performance, it’s lost its soul.

Movement is natural when your life is aligned. Sometimes you’ll train daily. Sometimes you’ll rest. The key? Don’t let three days go by without moving your body. Keep the spark alive. Stay connected to your energy. Let the season you’re in shape the intensity you bring.

Food? Eat in rhythm with your life. You don’t need a stopwatch. But having predictable patterns helps, for sleep, for training, for focus. Your body loves consistency more than your brain does, but again, don’t think you’ll be perfect 100% of the time.

Creativity and leadership don’t live in spreadsheets. Sure, set times to work. Deadlines matter. Pressure is a tool. But free time is where the breakthroughs happen. Wandering leads to new ideas. That’s why I say: routines aren’t cages, they’re launchpads.

To-do lists? Vision boards? Journaling apps? Cool. Try it. Toss it. Refine it. Personal development is modern scripture with a remix on the beat and a new verse from another artist. Use what works. Ditch the rest. Stop acting like there’s one formula.

In my mental fitness course, I teach the concept of abstract stabilization, holding your purpose while adjusting your process. Like a monkey swinging tree to tree, you don’t grab every branch. You grab the right one, the strong one, or the one that helps you go from one tree to the next, at the right time. Or like a snowboarder carving the mountain, you’re always adjusting. The sport stays the same, the approach evolves.

Want to win? Try everything. Refine. Repeat. That’s the real game.

A successful day is when you got after it. Whether it’s peace, wealth, health, family, or legacy, effort is the common denominator. My friends love me, but they’ve got their own lives. No one’s watching you that closely. And that’s freeing. Do it for you.

Feel like you’re not doing enough? You’re probably not. Feel like you’re doing too much? You’re probably not. You’re always a little wrong. And that’s okay. What matters is what you’re aiming at. Because everything else will change.

I run the day. I set the tone. I’ve got my team. We build. We serve. We show up. We have peace and chaos, growth and failure. It’s all in the mix. I’ve got stability, but I still explore. I’ve got my favorite food, my go-to workout, my friends who remind me life is worth living. That’s enough.

When life’s good, we keep it moving. When life’s bad, we keep it moving. That’s why I do what I do, because no one can afford to stop.

I hope you never read another article about routines again. I mean it. You can analyze this stuff until your next life. The truth is simple:

Aim at a great life. Work relentlessly toward it. Use what helps. Ditch what doesn’t. Keep moving. Always.

Forget the routine. Let’s make moves.

You should break up your routine and come to one of our workshops or events. We’re excited to break it down with you.

Let’s stay active, have fun, and live this life.