3770: The Rudder of the Day by Steve Pavlina on Setting Daily Direction

Optimal Living Daily - Personal Development and Self-Improvement

Optimal Living Daily LLC

Education, Mental Health, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.6 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 12 October 2025

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3770: Steve Pavlina explains how the first hour of each morning acts as a rudder that steers the rest of the day. By consciously choosing activities that create clarity, focus, and energy, you can set yourself on a path of productivity and positive momentum rather than allowing old habits or external influences to take over. His insights highlight how small, intentional choices early in the day compound into a powerful sense of direction. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/the-rudder-of-the-day/ Quotes to ponder: "The first hour is the rudder of the day." "Choose your first hour wisely, and it will steer your day in the direction you want to go." "Starting the day in a state of laziness, sloppiness, or distraction guarantees that the day will continue on that path." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:29.8	Before we start, I want to share a super powerful practice I use called NSDR or non-sleep, deep rest.
0:36.6	In just about 10 minutes or so, this yoga nidra practice
0:39.4	leaves you feeling as refreshed as after a nap without actually sleeping. Experience it for
0:45.9	yourself on our guided podcast. Search NSDR and look for the one from Optimal Living Daily.
0:53.9	This is Optimal Living Daily,
0:56.6	The Rudder of the Day by Steve Pavlina of stevepavlina.com,
1:01.4	and I'm Justin Mollock, your host and narrator.
1:04.4	Now let's get right to it as we optimize your life.
1:11.1	The Rudder of the Day by Steve Pavlina of
1:14.6	stevepavlina.com
1:16.1	It's been said that the first hour is the rudder of the day.
1:22.0	I found this to be very true in my own life.
1:24.6	If I'm lazy or haphazard in my actions during the first hour after I wake up,
1:29.8	I tend to have a fairly lazy and unfocused day. This kind of day might begin by lingering in bed
1:36.4	to cuddle a wife, being pounced by my daughter, stretching a bit, getting dressed, shaving,
1:42.9	having leisurely breakfast, the kind that takes me 20 minutes to
1:45.9	prepare and another 20 minutes to eat, unloading the dishwasher, discussing the day's plans with my
1:51.4	wife, we both work at home, and so on. Then I might start the workday by checking email,
1:57.4	writing a blog entry, and doing a few other minor tasks. By this time, I've usually been up
2:02.5	for several hours, and by that time, those early hours have already predisposed me to having an
	...

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