What 11 Highly Successful People Do Right Before They Go to Bed

If you want to win the day, you must first prime yourself for success the night before, according to these leading entrepreneurs and Advisors in The Oracles. Here, they share the evening rituals that have helped them achieve their life goals.

1. Stretch, visualize, and lower your body temperature.

Before I go to bed, I do some light stretching and take time to reflect. I then perform a gratitude prayer where I ask myself these questions: What have I given today? In what ways have I been a giver? What did I learn? How has today added to the quality of my life? How can I use today’s value to invest in my future?

Once I’ve answered the questions, I visualize my greatest goals. When I do this right before bed, it allows my subconscious to go to work while I sleep, retrieving ideas and insights to make those dreams a reality.

I also use a ChiliPad to keep my body cool while I sleep. Your body temperature corresponds to your circadian rhythm; if you can’t cool off, you won’t achieve optimal rest. —Ed Mylett, best-selling author, co-founder of the Arete Syndicate, global keynote speaker, and host of the #MAXOUT top-10 podcast; follow Ed on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook

2. Write down your biggest aspirations.

While your morning routine sets the tone for your day, your night routine sets the stage for your morning. I spend time with my wife and kids, and if I watch TV, I avoid negative programs. I create a battle plan for the next day and write down my goals, including long-term targets that get me excited.

For example, when I lived in Houston years ago, I’d write that I lived in a beautiful house in La Jolla, California, overlooking the beach. A few years later, I made that a reality. Your bedtime routine should help you stay focused on what you want in life. Focusing on your dreams will also help you sleep better and inspire you to tackle the next day bright and early. —Grant Cardone, sales expert, who has built a $750 million real estate empire, and NYT best-selling author; follow Grant on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube

3. Take a walk.

My husband, Barry, and I walk two to four miles almost every night together. We began this tradition when we founded Bluemercury and were in the startup phase, dealing with a lot of stress.

We’ve continued the tradition for 20 years! We review our business strategies and challenges, catch up on each other’s day, talk about the kids, and bounce new ideas off each other. Our nightly walks keep my body healthy, my mind clear, and help me decompress at the end of the day. —Marla Beck, co-founder and CEO of Bluemercury, which was acquired by Macy’s for $210 million; creator of M-61 Skincare and Lune+Aster cosmetics

4. Read an inspiring biography.

I shower at night because the sensation of water running down my head is like instant meditation: it helps me detach from the world. I then read an inspiring biography or autobiography that primes my business senses but isn’t so intellectual that it keeps me up thinking. As I mention in my TEDx Talk, it’s most useful to read about someone who’s 10 or 20 years ahead of you in their career.

Keep a yellow notepad and pen next to your bed and write down the three big things you have to accomplish tomorrow. You’ll wake up with those three items at the top of mind. —Tai Lopez, investor and advisor to multiple multimillion-dollar businesses, who has built an eight-figure online empire; connect with Tai on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube

5. Power down your devices.

My evening routine is critical because it ensures I get good sleep. When I first started my entrepreneurial journey, I was obsessed with being productive. I saw others working 16-hour days and assumed that I needed to as well to get results. That quickly took its toll. Over time, lack of sleep made me less productive and negatively impacted my mental health.

Now I have a rule: I shut down my laptop at 6 p.m. Even if I didn’t achieve all of my goals for the day, I leave the laptop in my office and don’t touch it for the rest of the night. I stop replying to messages and focus on my friends and family. That way, I can show up for my business as my best self the next day. —Sarah Chrisp, founder of Wholesale Ted; 27 years old and the only established female in the e-commerce educational video world with over 200,000 subscribers and seven-figure profits

6. Relax, then refuel.

For me, a nighttime routine is more important than a morning routine. It contributes to my daily energy, long-term health, mood, and performance. First, I review my task list from the day and prepare a new one for the next day, with any follow-ups I need to make. Second, I write down three wins from the day and something I’m grateful for. Then I relax. I take a warm shower with calming music. I wind down with an episode of “Shark Tank” while wearing Swannies blue-light-blocking glasses (to aid sleep) or by reading a book.

Since I train most days, I have a Fairlife high-protein milk drink that is high in a slow-release protein called casein to help my body recover. Finally, I take supplements such as omega 3, L-theanine, ZMA, and glycine, which improve relaxation, general health, and sleep quality and duration. —Rudy Mawer, founder and CEO of ROI Machines and RudyMawer.com; Facebook marketing and an expert, who built a multimillion-dollar business by age 26; connect with Rudy on Instagram

7. Celebrate your wins.

My evening routine allows me to process what I learned throughout my day, review my progress, and set myself up for future success. I ask myself empowering questions like, “What was great about today?” or, “What did I learn?” or, “How can I use today’s lessons to invest in my future?”

Even if I had the worst day ever, there is always something to feel happy about. I also write down my wins and celebrate my progress. It’s important to reward and acknowledge ourselves every day — because whatever gets rewarded gets repeated. Finally, I reflect on the challenges or difficulties I encountered, focusing on what I can do to improve.—Stefan James, founder of Project Life Mastery; internet entrepreneur, life and business coach, philanthropist, and world traveler; read about Stefan: This Entrepreneur Used to Be the Shyest Kid in School; connect with Stefan on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter

8. Decompress your spine.

I do five things to clear my mind and relax my body before I go to bed. First, I limit my caffeine intake four hours before bedtime. Then I write down everything that I need to do in my business, so my mind can relax. Next, I identify the most important thing I need to do the following day, so I can wake up focused. I then decompress my spine by using inversion boots to hang upside down for five to 10 minutes. This relaxes my muscles and prepares my body for sleep. Once I’m in bed, I put on my blue-light-blocking glasses and read something entertaining for about 10 minutes to clear my mind. —Jeff Sherman, founder and CEO of Tech Sweat; serial entrepreneur, who has launched five businesses and impacted over 5,000 fitness businesses in six countries

9. Reflect and meditate.

The power of sleep is underrated: it’s the ultimate antidote to brain fog. A good night’s rest will improve your perception of your greatest challenges and is key to weight management and overall health.

My morning and nightly routines are equally critical as they bookend my day. I turn off all electronics by 8:30 p.m. Then I review the day to identify what I did well, what I could have done better, and whether I owe a conversation or amends to anyone. I plan the next day, then I read and finish with meditation, prayer, and spiritual readings. When I’m ready to sleep, I make sure the room is cool, quiet, and dark. —Peter Hernandez, president of the Western Region at Douglas Elliman; founder and president of Teles Properties

10. Brain-dump your best ideas.

I’m a zombie if I don’t sleep at least seven and half hours, so good sleep is necessary to me. Playing college basketball, I learned that what you do in the hours before bed determines your quality of rest. So, I do the same things every night: I put my phone on airplane mode an hour before bed. Then I brain-dump every idea running through my head into Voice Memos to clear up mental space.

Then I put my BluBlocker sunglasses on and start a movie. I say “start” because I never finish it; I’m usually asleep in 20 minutes. —Jason Capital, White House top 100 entrepreneur under 30, best-selling author, high-income coach, online marketing expert, and founder of High Status; connect with Jason on Instagram

11. Be present.

What you don’t do at night is more important than what you do. For me, the evening is an opportunity to spend time with and connect deeply with my wife. I turn off electronics, including the TV, and allow myself to be completely present — free from the past or the future.

A few years ago, I would have recommended writing a list for the next day. But I've found that worrying about tomorrow takes the joy out of the now. Success is being present and happy in the current moment. —Scott Oldford, founder of The R.O.I. Method; helps high-impact entrepreneurs scale profitable seven-figure-plus businesses; read about Scott: Why I Shut Down a Multimillion-Dollar Business

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