James Laughlin has worked with everyone from elite athletes to Fortune 500 CEOs, but his philosophy is surprisingly simple: win the morning, and you win the day. As a world champion musician turned high-performance strategist, James blends science-backed routines with mindset shifts that help people lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose. In this chat, he shares the daily practices that keep him focused, how he reframes failure, and why the first 15 minutes of your morning can change everything.
Your book lays out 27 principles for high performance. When your own schedule gets chaotic, which of those principles do you come back to most often? The one that keeps you grounded?
When life inevitably gets chaotic, I come back to Get Radically Clear. It is the anchor habit. When the calendar is overloaded, I ask: What is Most Important today? That is my MVP, Most Valued Priority. Writing it down in my journal every morning cuts through the noise and ensures I am productive in a way that aligns with my vision and values.
You’ve worked with world-class leaders, athletes, and entrepreneurs. Are there any daily habits or mindset shifts they all seem to share, no matter what field they’re in?
High performers, whether athletes, CEOs, or entrepreneurs, share a commitment to Do the Work. They show up consistently, often by rising early and carving out time before the world wakes up, for training, meditation, or reflection.
Another thread is how they handle adversity. They reframe failure as feedback. That is something I expand on in my book The Habits of High Performers, because it is such a consistent marker of resilience. Setbacks are not roadblocks; they are data points to grow from.
A big part of your framework is getting radically clear on vision and values. How do you personally check in with that clarity in your everyday life?
For me, clarity is not a one off exercise. It is a daily practice. Each morning I journal on gratitude, my MVP, and how it connects to the bigger picture. I also use visualisation, picturing not just outcomes, but how I want to feel and the impact I want to have.
Quarterly, I step back for a deeper review, what I call a Success Planning Session. These rhythms keep me aligned and prevent drift.
Can you walk us through a typical day for you? What are the non-negotiables that help you show up at your best, even when things aren’t going to plan?
I rise at 5:20am and start with journaling, gratitude, MVP, and reflection. Then I move my body: running, gym, or stretching. The mantra is simple: Master Your Morning, Master Your Day.
Throughout the day, I take my MEDS: Mental training, Exercise, Diet, Sleep. That might mean meditation, reading, or a walking reset. I also prioritise connection with family, team, or clients.
Evenings are about recovery. I follow my 3-2-1 rule: no work three hours before bed, no food or drink two hours before bed, and no screens one hour before bed. That routine helps me recharge so I can show up consistently.
You talk about taking your MEDS — Mental Training, Exercise, Diet, Sleep — as a foundation for performance. Which one is the hardest for you to stay consistent with, and how do you get back on track?
Sleep. It is easy to think you can trade an hour of rest for an hour of work, but that is false productivity. When sleep drops, so does focus, energy, and decision making.
To reset, I double down on my evening routine: lights down, screens off, and winding down with intent. Sleep is not a luxury. It is a performance tool.
For someone just starting out on their performance journey, what’s one small habit change you’d suggest that could unlock a big shift over time?
Begin with a simple, intentional morning routine. Ten to fifteen minutes for journaling, stretching, or mindful breathing is enough. Start small, scale up.
The key is consistency. That single practice builds momentum, fuels clarity, and compounds into confidence. High performance is not about hacks or shortcuts. It is built one daily habit at a time.
