Many of the leaders I work with run companies backed by private equity firms, which means their mandate is to grow the business very quickly. They are aggressive, intelligent, and highly motivated individuals who signed up for a very challenging role.

You might imagine I would coach such people to wake up at 4:30 a.m. and get on email before everyone else.

Not anymore.

Late last year, I started asking clients, “What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?”

Many say something to the effect of: I pick up the phone or I go downstairs, get on the bike and I do my really hard workout for the day.

There’s a lot of that. High achievers tend to start fast, get the motor running.

But getting your motor going quickly isn’t as important as how intentional you are throughout the day.

It can pay dividends to go inside before you let the outside world in. Take inventory of how you are feeling, what’s important right now, or just let your mind wander for a few minutes. You might reflect on any small but important details or nuances you might have missed the previous day.

In recent months, I’ve been doing this myself. My long standing daily habit is the opposite; picking up my phone has the first act of the day for countless years.

But these days, I don’t look at my phone when I get up in the morning. I do something else beforehand, such as read a little and make breakfast.

I’m noticing a difference in myself. I’m more centered and less reactive. My ability to be intentional and proactive has increased. By slowing down a bit first thing in the morning, I’m actually more impactful and productive throughout the day.

A reality of modern life is that the outside world conspires to distract you from who you are and what’s truly important to you. Just about everything that comes at you is the product of a business or individual who wants to persuade you to embrace their agenda, product or service. But the answers lie inside you, not out there in the world.

To put this another way, the outside world is a reflection of your inner state. This is why every great athlete and performer shapes their schedule so that their performance peaks when it matters most.

If you look at great athletic events such as the Tour de France or the New York City Marathon, very few winners take the lead immediately and keep it until the finish line. Instead, they look for opportunities to let someone else break the wind or set the pace. They manage their energy levels with great care, paying close attention to their body and how it is responding, and wait for their moment to break out of the pack.

There’s much to be learned from this sort of approach. It doesn’t require a lot of time, just enough to focus your energy and intention before you dive into the outside world.