A former Navy SEAL wakes up at 4:30 am every day, and explains why you should, too.

Jocko Willink is a podcaster who received the Bronze Star and Silver Star for her service in the Iraq War. Willink appeared on Success! How I Did It and explained why he rises before the sun every day.

Willink explained:

"They're good habits. Why would you not wake up at 4:30 in the morning?" he asked ."You just get a jump on the day."

Willink added that no one being awake at 4:30 in the morning allows him to focus on getting things done in the morning, specifically working out. He also enjoys being able to see his kids off to school.

"And it doesn't feel good at 4:30 when you get up, but by the time 7:00 rolls around and you've already worked out and you've already gotten some work done, and you've got some time to say goodbye to your kids before they go to school, it's infinitely better than sleeping in til 6:45 and you get out of bed and you've missed your kids going to school or whatever. It's awful."

Willink said that waking up at 4:30 makes you prepared for the day. He suggested waking up at the same time every morning, because "discipline equals freedom." And, he said that the earlier you get up, the better.

"Wake up at the same time every day... it doesn't have to be 4:30, it could be 6:30 it could be 7. Find out a time, pick it, set it, stick to it, and maintain that schedule, and that's going to end up benefiting you. I recommend that it's earlier. I recommend that you go to bed earlier."

"If you want more freedom in your life you have to have more discipline."