I’m not a morning person. Believe me I’ve tried. (Sorry Miracle Morning.)

For the better part of my life, if I was ever awake to see 5AM, or the sun rise, or to hear the birds begin chirping, it was probably because I’d stayed up all night.

In other words, until the last decade, waking up has not been something I’ve enjoyed all that much.

But I’ve cobbled together a morning routine that’s changed that.

From Hal Elrod I learned to drink a glass of water upon waking. From Sadhguru I learned the meditation I do every morning (and evening) no matter what.

But it was BJ Fogg, founder of Stanford’s Behavior Design Lab, and author of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything, who taught me the six words I say—out loud—every morning.

“It’s gonna be a great day!”

If you—like a younger version of me—find yourself repulsed by the simplistic, sappy, positive-thinking, BS-kind of vibe with which this statement might be uttered, I feel you.

But hear me out.

I know that positive thinking never works. It’s a good start, but it’s not enough. Any amount of willpower is eventually depleted. We humans are fickle creatures and our moods and minds change constantly. I get it.

But my years of studying and living have led me to believe, absolutely, that each of us is ultimately responsible for our experience of life, that we can choose our attitude, and that there is power in declaration, intention and taking responsibility.

So yes, saying the six words is just a start. And it sometimes takes serious effort to live the day in a way that makes sure they’re true.

But we always start our day from somewhere, so why not start from there?

If you want, you can hear my interview with BJ Fogg here.