Habit Cultivation: Rising Early

Consultant: So, tell me about a habit

youd like to cultivate.
Client: I really need to wake up early
in the morning. Theres so much to do,
just running out of time, no time.
Consultant: Is there a problem. Have
you tried waking up early?
Client: Yes, but not consistent.
Sometimes, Ive tried setting alarm for
4 thinking Ill wake up by 5, but not
happening. I even asked my sister to
call to wake me up but no use.
Consultant: Do you stay up late?
Client: Yes, I think I am nocturnal
type. It feels good to be up at night.
Like an owl. Everything is quite, no
sound, helps me to concentrate.

Sometimes I eat Maggi. At 1 o clock. I

dont know why but it tastes better at
1 oclock. Sometimes if I have it on
Sunday morning it tastes different, at
night it tastes different.
Consultant: So why do you want to
wake up early then?
Client: I feel very groggy through the
day. Then I think may be if I wake up
early, Ill get more time to myself.
Clothes are always pending, these
days Im bathing on alternate days.
Consultant: What else do you like
about waking up early?
Client: Fresh clean air, people on
their walks, calm environment, feels
peaceful. Not so sunny. Afterwards its
too hot.

Consultant: And what is it that you

dont like about waking up early?
Client: The alarm, breaks my sleep, I
keep wishing I could sleep longer then
go back to sleep, basically I think I
lack the motivation.
Consultant: What is your schedule
like?
Client: Depends . Classes,
discussion, assignments, just chilling
out, gym sometimes, not regular,
some gaming, I also play football
sometimes, nothing fixed really.
---------------------------Metaphors
Consultant: Rising early is Rhythm.

Client: Rising early is discipline.

Metaphor Mapping
Rising Early
(Target)

Rhythm
(Source)

Early risers
Late risers
Freshness
Birds
Repetitive pattern
Before rest of day

Beginning Beats
Falling beats
thrill, excitement
Notes of music
Constant beats
Before change in
pace

With the sun

Silence

With the heart

Musical pause

Paradoxical Thinking
Consultant: Rising at 3 a.m.
Client: Sleeping all day and all night.

Sleeping all day and all night

Monotony
Abundance

Excess

Hidden desire
Unnatural
Continuity

(Definitions: Root-Bernstein, R. and Root-Bernstein, M. (1999).)

1. Observing: Paying close

attention to the problem on
hand, observing through all the
senses
Problem Inability to wake up
early.
Senses Slow movements,
Sluggishness, Grogginess,
Drowsiness, Incomplete sleep.

Calmness
Vs.
Excitement
Droopy state
Vs.
Alert state at night
Need to bring in
alertness here
Need to bring in
excitement here
2. Imaging: Ability to recall
what is observed in the
absence of an external
stimulus. Example: chef recalls
taste of a delicacy / foretastes
State at night Busy, occupied,
alert (recall)
Desired state in the morning: calm
with concentration

3. Abstracting : Removing
extraneous factors to get to
the core
Desired State: Concentration (for
study?)
Extra time
Peace
4. Patterning : Recognizing or
perceiving a repetitive pattern/
combining elements to form a
pattern
Lack of decisive pattern: Is the
irregular schedule itself the pattern

Need to
break this
5. Analogizing : Recognizing a
functional likeness between
two or more otherwise unlike
things
Rising early and a bird sound.
Rising early and a soft orange Sun.
6& 7. Body thinking &
Empathizing : Sensing of
movement, tension or balance
in the object/experience

By Consultant Experiencing
desired state & problem
encountered.
Preliminary discussion
Can music help set rhythm of
morning?
Probe: What kind of music does the
client like?
Alarm: Set to favorite music, what
about bird sounds?
Probe: Quality of Voice of favorite
Singer
Follow rhythmic beats to divide early
morning phase into waking up,
exercising and brief study.
Music to set change in pace

Music at night to slow down pace for

better sleep.