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How Did The 126th Ranked Player in the World Win Wimbledon? By Having an Effective Morning Routine

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Wimbledon, England, 2001. The biggest tennis tournament and Grand Slam of the year. The finals. Fifth set. Championship point. On one side is Patrick Rafter, the third player in the world. On the other side, you would expect someone like Andre Agassi or Pete Sampras at that time. But that wasn’t the case here.

On the other side, serving for the Wimbledon championship point, was the 126th player in the world. A 30-year-old guy who in the last 10 months lost all but 3 matches and a week before Wimbledon, was defeated by a 195th player in the world in the first round.

He never won a Grand Slam in his life, was prone to mental breakdowns on the court and couldn’t even qualify for Wimbledon that year because of his terrible ranking! But the organizers gave him an invitation called the “Wild Card”. His name was Goran Ivanišević.

As he served that championship point, the crowd went crazy. Rafter returned the service to the net. Goran had finally won Wimbledon! He became the lowest ranking player who ever won a Grand Slam and the only player in the history of tennis who did it as the “Wild Card”.

“Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun

The question people asked themselves after it happened is how? Goran was a player famous for throwing tantrums and not keeping it together. He is the only player who surrendered a match for not having the necessary equipment to play – because he broke all 3 rackets during a single match! Something was different about him on that tournament. But what?

The answer to that questions lies in his morning routine during Wimbledon that he called “The Ritual”:

Goran’s Morning Routine aka The Ritual

The routine was pretty simple and a bit controversial. He and his entire team would gather in his room to watch Teletubbies at 10 AM sharp. Then, he would wash his 2 shirts in which he played. He would eat the same food in the same restaurant every day. And he would have everyone from his team sit at the same place in the box at the court. He would always urinate in the same urinary at his locker room and the last thing was that he absolutely couldn’t step on the white line while entering the field.

That’s it! Sounds simple. But only on the surface. The reason why this worked for Goran was that it put him in peak state. A peak state is a continuous state of mind where we feel fully present, alive, have absolute focus and are using a 100% of our capacity. Some people describe peak state with the phrases like “the time slows down or just stops” or “everything seems so clear to me. I know what I have to do.”

Have you ever felt something like this? Then you know how amazing it is and how flawlessly you perform in peak state.That is what peak state is designed for. It gives us the ability to perform at our highest level. The problem is actually achieving peak state in a continuous manner.  But there is a way to do that.  And as we saw in Goran’s case, the secret lies in our morning routine.

“Quality is not an act, but a ritual” – Aristotle

Design Your Morning Routine

Our morning routines can put us in peak state and we shouldn’t consider our routines as time wasters but as time investors. They help us achieve a state where we are hyper-productive and where we do more in a shorter span of time. But for us to create a routine that puts us in peak state, we need to design it according to ourselves.

Something that works for me might not work for you. And you can only figure it out by testing, testing, and testing. I can tell you that meditation, journaling, self-reflection, and waking up at 5am will help you and can put you in peak state. But unless that works for you, it will be useless. The way you will figure it out is by testing it yourself.

Try for 21 days each and every single one of those mentioned. Do only one at a time, because otherwise, you won’t do any of them. They sound simple, but as Jim Rohn said “Simple things are easy to do. But they are also easy not to do.”

Test out your routine. It doesn’t matter if it’s silly, weird or controversial. It just has to work for one person. For you. Goran watched Teletubbies and urinated in the same urinary. And it helped him achieve Peak state and win Wimbledon. Just imagine what peak state could do for you.

After you imagine it, write down a commitment in the comment section stating “I will do (insert activity) for the next 21 days to see if it will help me achieve Peak state.”

Bruno Boksic is an expert habit builder who was covered in the biggest personal development publications like Lifehack, Addicted2Success, Goalcast, Pick The Brain. If you want to build life-long habits, Growthabits is the first place to visit.

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Success Advice

11 Mark Manson Lessons That’ll Redefine Success in the Digital Age

Success in the digital age isn’t about hacks, it’s about the raw, real lessons Mark Manson actually lives by.

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In 2016, Mark Manson released The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, a brutally honest, thought-provoking book that redefined self-help for a new generation. (more…)

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Change Your Mindset

The Secret Daily Routines Behind History’s Most Brilliant Thinkers

Uncover the daily rituals and hidden habits that powered history’s most brilliant minds to success.

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Why Daily Rituals Matter

Every great achiever has one thing in common: discipline. Behind the novels, inventions, discoveries, and masterpieces are small, consistent habits repeated daily. (more…)

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Did You Know

How to Turn a Simple Link-in-Bio Into a Powerful Brand Hub

Transform your forgotten bio link into a high-impact gateway that fuels engagement, clicks, and conversions across every social platform.

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Social media is one of the greatest marketing tools in 2025. According to a recent study, some 86% of marketers globally use platforms like Facebook and Instagram for advertisements, while 94% use it for content distribution.  (more…)

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Personal Development

These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident

Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.

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Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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