When you have the opportunity to ask some of the most interesting people in the world about their lives, sometimes the most fascinating answers come from the simplest questions. The Thrive Questionnaire is an ongoing series that gives an intimate look inside the lives of some of the world’s most successful people.
Thrive Global: What’s the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
Lee Tilghman: Hydration: get a 20 oz. cup of room temperature filtered water and put some water on the stove for hot lemon water.
TG: What gives you energy?
LT: Mornings. Quiet mornings before the world is awake. It’s my favorite time of day.
TG: What’s your secret life hack?
LT: Morning routines.
TG: Name a book that changed your life.
LT: The Four Agreements.
TG: Tell us about your relationship with your phone. Does it sleep with you?
LT: I live in a studio so I can’t get TOO far from it, but it sleeps across the room from me as far away as possible, on do not disturb and no alarm set.
TG: How do you deal with email?
LT: I don’t check emails until after my most important task is completed. Sometimes that’s around 11am, other times it’s at 4pm. I found that email can be a huge time sucker, so I do my best to wait to respond to all the emails in one big chunk. The biggest things I’ve learned is that: Things can wait. We live in a go-go-go culture but email can take over your LIFE if you let them! I draw boundaries with my clients and they know how I am with emails. I am very clear with them about it.
TG: You unexpectedly find 15 minutes in your day, what do you do with it?
LT: Lay down and rest. Maybe take a nap.
TG: When was the last time you felt burned out and why?
LT: I got burned out last November. I had been go-go-go for six months straight, barely coming up for air. It was tough. I’ll never let myself get to that point again.
TG: Share a quote that you love and that gives you strength or peace.
LT: “You are a spiritual being having a human experience.” It helps me remember my humanness. It brings me back down to earth. It helps me sort out my trials and tribulations, no matter how small.
