I Wrote a Viral Article and It Motivated Me
But not in the way you might think
This is my most popular article on Medium:
It has over a million views. No other article I’ve ever written has even come close to that. But I’ll be honest: When I wrote it, I was still toying with the idea of waking up at 5 a.m. I didn’t lie in my article; I never lie in my articles (or at least, I try my damn best not to). I did every step I recommended to others. But I had only woken up at 5 a.m. for a few months, and I was still wondering if I should continue. Waking up at 5 a.m. was still tricky for me. I don’t know how long it takes for a circadian rhythm to adjust, but mine hadn’t wholly adjusted yet.
The article blew up. Everyone around me would talk to me about it. Friends, colleagues, acquaintances who I never really talked to but have mutual friends with. I became known as the guy who wakes up at 5 a.m. People who meet me for the first time who find my Medium still talk to me about it.
I had a public identity now. And because of it, I felt a social pressure to…
