The Prompt That Bought Me Back My Morning

I didn’t need more hours in the day. I needed to stop waking up on defense.

In this episode, I break down how one messy moment led to a clean routine — and how AI helped me buy back my mornings. But it wasn’t about a perfect prompt. It was about the conversation that followed.

🔑 What you'll hear:

* The moment I realized my mornings were wrecked

* The actual prompt I gave ChatGPT

* Why most people quit too soon when using AI

* What my new morning looks like — and how it gives me leverage

📥 Grab the free prompt breakdown here

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⏱️ Time-Stamps & Topics

0:00 – Cold Open: 7:03 AM and Already BehindBrian shares a raw, relatable moment of waking up to chaos — Slack pings, cereal arguments, cold coffee. The realization? His mornings were running him.

0:50 – Reaching for Help (and AI)A half-baked prompt to ChatGPT kicks off the story. Brian wasn’t expecting much — just looking for a better way to start the day.

1:30 – The Prompt (Verbatim)

“Help me build a morning routine that starts at 5:15 AM, fits my cutting macros, includes a lift, and time for podcast work before my meetings start at 8:30.”

2:10 – What Came Back Surprised MeIt wasn’t just a decent schedule — it was the start of a productive relationship. The AI helped build something tailored. But more importantly: the refinement began.

3:00 – The Real Prompt Was the ConversationBrian unpacks a myth: silver bullet prompts don’t exist. The real unlock? Learning how to think out loud with AI and refine through the back-and-forth.

4:15 – Refinement in ActionBrian explains how he gave feedback: adjusting sequencing, adding buffer, making it sustainable. The breakthroughs came in the second, third, and fourth interactions.

5:30 – The Routine That Changed EverythingA walkthrough of the current routine:

* 5:15 AM wake-up

* Weights first

* Macro-aligned breakfast

* Anchor time for creative work

* Clean handoff to 8:30 AM meetingsMomentum replaced chaos.

7:30 – Bigger Truth: This Isn’t Just About MorningsThis is about taking back your time — and using AI like a partner, not a vending machine.

8:30 – Call to ActionFollow That Changed Things wherever you listen. Subscribe on Substack. And check the show notes for the exact prompt breakdown Brian used to buy back his morning.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thatchangedthings.substack.com