Get All Access for $5/mo

Smells Like Old What do scented candles and being prolific have in common? Everything.

By Kim Walsh Phillips

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Moyo Studio | Getty Images

Cinnamon. Pumpkin. Baked apple streusel ... Not ingredients in a winter festival requiring stretchy pants. Although that does give me an idea for our next themed Friday. Those scents are actually some of my favorite candles to burn in my daily ritual of lighting before writing.

Why? Because as a woman over 40, these are the official scents we must check off as adoring to enter the club of awesome that yours truly is a member of. And they bring back nostalgic feelings of warmth and love from the holiday without the need to gift wrap a thing.

My favorite type are the kind with the wood wick that crackle as they burn. I light one every single morning along with the lazy man's version of a roaring fire (gas) as I brew my first cup of coffee of the day. It's a ritual that signals to my brain that it's time to write; time to pull from my zone of genius and create. And it works.

Every single morning, even on Christmas or my birthday — all of the days — I get up, run through the ritual and write with joy and thanksgiving. In fact, I produce more than 20,000 words a week in this ritual, which allows me to write a daily email, course content, my books, my columns for this website and more.

Related: The Indecent Crete Proposal

This routine has trained my brain that this is the only option in the am. No excuses. No distractions. No alternatives. We produce content with joy every ... single ... day. And the joy part is intentional as well. I never think, "I have to." I always think, "I get to."

Do you have a morning routine? Setting one is like lending a cape to your superpowers, signifying it's time to fly. Start with one set thing you will do before you create. Perhaps it's drink a glass of lemon water or do 10 jumping jacks or something else I imagine people that are tan, buff and taller than me are doing.

Or go to your favorite chair, with your favorite foot stool with your favorite mug brimming with your favorite warm beverage (ahhhh, this is more my jam) to tell your brain it's time to go.

Related: Increase Sales With 'The Dessert Pitch'

It doesn't matter what it is, just that you do it. For one day. And then the next. And the next. And then continuing on for days because big dreams aren't completed in a second, or they wouldn't be big dreams. But setting up your day to first conquer the most important means those things get done. Because where your focus goes, your energy flows.

Remove excuses from your subconscious, and give yourself every advantage to create create a morning routine to remove obstacles and make your next dream come true. Middle-aged crackling candle suggested but not required.

Kim Walsh Phillips

Founder of Powerful Professionals

Kim Walsh Phillips went from 32 clients to over 11,000 in less than a year and founded Powerful Professionals, a business coaching company that has been scaling consulting and coaching businesses. Phillips is the best-selling author of The No BS Guide To Direct Response Social Media Marketing.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Franchise

Kick-Start Your Small Business With These Cost Effective Strategies

Starting a small business is an exciting adventure, brimming with both opportunities and challenges. A key to success is effectively managing costs from the outset.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Growing a Business

How to Build, Grow and Make Money With Ecommerce

To grow your online business, you need to develop a strategy and invest your time wisely. These actionable tips can attract customers and increase online revenue.