A society of early birds
We live in a society that glorifies early birds:
“The early bird catches the worm”,
“The 5am club”
“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” ( apparently not a woman though…)
Bias confession: I used to think that people who wake up late and prefer to work at night are “lazy”, while successful people are up at 5am getting a head start in life.
Then I read the book “Sapiens”, and learned that humans have different “circadian cycles” that naturally regulate their body clock: some are wired for the morning, while others just function better at night. This was an intelligent survival evolution of the human species to protect us against dangers, and have someone on watch 24/7. Fascinating!
We are all just different, and while I’m at my best at sunrise, others have their peak at midnight.
Understanding differences is key to leadership. We are all different in big and sometimes subtle ways, and that it always enriching.
Embrace the differences, seek to understand, dig deeper, and remember: birds will be birds, and owls will be owls.
Which one are you?
