An entrepreneur, in the general sense of the word, is a person who starts their own business. But really, they're people who have the motivation and drive to achieve their goals. Over the years, I've picked up some tips from my mom, an entrepreneur who runs her own gluten-free bakery called Sophia's Delight, about how to win at life. The key to success? Get your day started on the right foot. Here's how:

1. Wake up early

cake, beer, tea, bed, blanket, pillow, sleeping, sleep, nap, napping
Jocelyn Hsu

As the saying goes, "you snooze, you lose" — so wake the heck up and get your day started before anyone else does. The math is really simple: if you wake up at 8 AM instead of noon, you'll have an extra 4 hours to get stuff done. Also, evidence shows that early risers are more proactive, optimistic, get better grades, and sleep better when the day is over. Just make sure that you get get as much sleep as possible the night before, because there's nothing worse than setting your alarm for 8 with the best of intentions and then hitting the snooze button. 

2. Exercise or meditate ASAP

grass, pasture
Katherine Baker

Exercise is not just about losing weight. In fact, it's key for relieving stress, developing a sharper memory, and having higher self-esteem — all of which are a must for any good entrepreneur. If you can't bring yourself to sweat so early in the morning, try meditating to get in the right state of mind instead. 

3. Eat a healthy, filling breakfast

porridge, sweet, oatmeal, milk, cereal, rice
Christin Urso

Time is money, and money is time, and there's no easier way to waste time than by having to stop working to eat a snack. Be sure to eat something like eggs and toast or oatmeal with berries, both of which will help keep you full and focused

4. Ditch your phone

cake, tea
Jocelyn Hsu

Although it may sound counterintuitive, there are a few really great reasons for not reaching for your phone first thing in the morning. First, placing it right next to you at night can make it difficult to sleep soundly if the screen lights up during the night, and we all know how important sleep is for success. Second, checking your inbox or social media platforms may induce stress or distract you from achieving all of your goals of the day. While it may be amusing, your morning and daily routine can't be completed if you're looking at Kim K's recent instagram

5. Get into the right mindset

candy, cake
Shelby Cohron

Some mornings can be tough. But several successful entrepreneurs have said that they read inspirational books, memorize motivational quotes, or write down thoughts or experiences in a journal or blog to beat the morning blues. It's all about getting in the right mindset, and doing something creative or calming can always put people in the right mindset for the rest of the day. There's no better way to tackle a day than going into it feeling good about yourself, so get happy, get excited, get hype. 

So, if you want to get a head start, not just on today, but on the rest of your life, these tips and tricks are just for you. Only good things come from being motivated and excited about life. As my mom would say, carpe diem.