One of the habits that has been a cornerstone for me is waking up early and spending time in quiet reflection. It’s something I’ve always done naturally, but over the years, I’ve come to realize that many successful people make this a regular part of their day as well. Now, I’m not claiming to be the most successful person out there, but I’ve been fortunate to know and work alongside some people who are. One of those people is Carl White. He’s said on several occasions, “All we do is think and write.” That phrase really resonates with me because I’ve found that quiet moments, especially in the early morning, are where the best ideas come to life.
For me, these quiet moments of reflection are where I’ve re-invented myself multiple times in my career. I can directly trace some of my biggest decisions and life changes back to sitting in silence and thinking. A prime example of this is the decision that led me to where I am now, with the Loan Officer Breakfast Club. It was early one morning, and I was reflecting on my career. I had this feeling that it was time for a change. That led me to make a bold move—I decided to leave the National Real Estate Post and make a call to my friend Carl. After some more quiet thinking, that call turned into a partnership. And here we are, three and a half years later, doing things I could never have imagined back then. That journey, all the way from that moment of early morning reflection to where I am now, started in silence—just thinking.
But it’s not always about big, life-changing decisions. Most of the time, it’s about working through smaller, day-to-day challenges. Whether it’s business strategy, personal goals, or even just finding clarity on an issue that’s been hanging over my head, the early morning quiet is when I do my best thinking. When there’s no noise or distraction, I can get down to the root of things. It’s not something I can do in the middle of the workday. Between calls, meetings, and the daily hustle, there’s no space for deep, critical thinking. For me, it has to be in absolute silence.
And I’m not alone in this practice. Some of the world’s most successful people have built time for quiet thinking into their routines. Take Warren Buffett, for example. He’s known for spending a good part of his day just sitting and thinking. In fact, he once said, “I insist on a lot of time being spent, almost every day, to just sit and think. That’s very uncommon in American business. I read and think. So I do more reading and thinking, and make less impulse decisions than most people in business. I do it because I like this kind of life.” That’s a powerful statement from one of the most successful investors of our time. Buffett attributes his success to the time he spends thinking, rather than constantly doing.
Then there’s Bill Gates, who takes it even further with his famous “think weeks.” Gates isolates himself for an entire week, twice a year, to do nothing but read, think, and plan. These weeks are when he’s come up with some of his most important innovations and decisions. Gates understands, just like Buffett, that being busy doesn’t necessarily mean being productive. The most valuable insights come from stillness and reflection, not from constant motion.
I believe there’s something deeply healthy and transformative about setting aside quiet time to think. It doesn’t always have to result in a major business decision or a career shift. Sometimes, it’s simply about clearing your mind, solving a small problem, or coming up with a fresh perspective on something you’ve been struggling with. That space for quiet reflection is where I feel the most centered, and I’m willing to bet it’s the same for others.
So, if quiet reflection isn’t something that comes naturally to you, I’d encourage you to make the effort to incorporate it into your daily routine. Start small—maybe just 10 minutes each morning—and see what comes from it. I can almost guarantee that you’ll notice a difference in how you approach decisions and challenges, both in business and in life. Great things can come from sitting in silence and just thinking about it.