Success Recipe: Wake Up Early + Kimchi + Delusion

Have you ever heard this one?

“I wake up at 5 AM because millionaires wake up at 5 AM.”“I’m doing a water fast because successful people do water fasts.”“I started jiu-jitsu… you know… discipline.”

At this point, I’m just waiting for someone to say success requires eating a full box of kimchi, and honestly? I’ll probably try it too. Because clearly, that’s the missing piece.

Somehow, we’ve convinced ourselves that success is just a checklist. Wake up early. Go to sleep early. Cold showers. Fasting. Jiu-jitsu. Maybe throw in some kombucha, kimchi, and a little suffering for flavor… And voilà, success just starts raining down on you like a miracle.

Right?

But here’s the part we don’t like to talk about: We’re working really hard…to figure out how not to work hard. We’re trying to hack it. Shortcut it. Optimize it. Combine just the right habits like it’s some kind of formula:

“Okay, so if I fast, wake up early, eat fermented vegetables, and suffer just enough… do I unlock success now?”

No.

You just wake up earlier… and hungrier.

Success is defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Simple. Not easy. Because that means you actually have to: Know your aim, Stay consistent, Do the work, Keep going when it’s uncomfortable, And repeat that… a lot more times than you probably want to. No kimchi required. (Optional, though.)

And here’s the real problem:

When you read what successful people do, you’re reading what they do now. You’re not reading the years of confusion, failure, bad decisions, wrong turns, and actual hard work that got them there. You’re reading the highlight reel of habits, not the full story.

So next time you feel tempted to copy someone’s routine hoping it will magically transfer their success to you… pause.

Ask yourself: Am I trying to build something…or am I just trying to avoid the hard part? Because success isn’t hiding in someone else’s morning routine. It’s usually sitting right in front of you—in the work you’ve been trying to avoid.

But hey—if eating kimchi makes you feel productive…go for it.

Just don’t be surprised if all you get out of it is an upset stomach, a very active digestive system, and the same unfinished goals.