“I Wake Up While the World Is Sleeping”: Why the Ex-Head of Disney Gets Up Before Dawn
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger gets up before dawn and doesn’t pick up his phone in his first waking hours. Here are some other habits that help him set himself up for a good day.
Bob Iger was CEO of Disney from 2005 to 2020. During this time, the company has grown into a world leader in the entertainment industry. In 2019, Time magazine named the entrepreneur CEO of the year. As Iger wrote in his autobiography, he has a number of qualities and habits that helped him achieve success in his career. “For example, for as long as I can remember, I always woke up early and enjoyed this watch that belonged to me alone, while the rest of the world was sleeping,” says Eiger.
The former head of Disney not only gets up at 4.15, but also does not pick up the phone until he finishes his morning exercises. Eiger adds that he usually gets up early on weekends as well, only sometimes half an hour later. The businessman says that such a daily routine helps him put his thoughts in order before starting work. “This is such a system of protection against functional overloads. She suggests that at first I go in for sports and think, and only then I start looking at the phone. The fact is that information confuses me, distracts me. I immediately think about other people’s thoughts, not about my own. I like to be alone with my thoughts, and this gives me the opportunity not only to replenish my resource, but also to concentrate, and this is important", explains Eiger.
He says that morning “quiet time” when he’s not looking at his phone and instead focusing on himself helps him get set for the work day. “I think that in order to manage a fairly complex company in a very rapidly changing world, it is extremely important to take care of the vital energy, and also take enough time to organize your ideas,” he says. Eiger likens his “quiet time” to meditation.
Immediately after getting up, the former head of Disney does a cardio workout. On weekends, he rides a bike, and on weekdays he works out on aerobic simulators. For example, Iger is a big fan of the Versa Climber vertical machine, which he uses for 30 minutes. “It’s a counter-directional ladder, the machine has handles and foot pedals, and you have to raise your arms and legs in a coordinated way, as if you were going up a ladder,” Eiger explains. He says he listens to music while exercising and also has the TV on silent.
Twice a week at five in the morning, a personal trainer comes to him for stretching and weight training. “At my age, lifting weights alone can be dangerous, so a coach helps me,” says 71-year-old Eiger. A coach for him is not only motivation, but also pleasant communication. He monitors the safety of the exercises and at the same time constantly complicates them.
“I find that exercise relieves stress and builds endurance, which is essential in a job like mine,” says Eiger. He loves to exercise because sports not only “clear your head, but also boost your self-esteem.” After sports, Eiger drinks a cup of coffee, reads a little and looks through the newspapers, and then goes to work.
In terms of food, Aiger does not follow any special diet. He tries to avoid carbohydrates, but he loves pizza. “I don’t eat bread or pasta except on very rare occasions. I never eat sandwiches", the entrepreneur lists. But, as Eiger himself admitted, he loves pizza. “This is one of my vices, of which there are not many. I allow myself a good pizza, maybe once a month or two,” admits the former head of Disney.
Sources: Robert Iger “Foresight”, Business Insider, Vanity Fair, Fortune, Iger interview on The Tim Ferriss Show, Time