phrase
also: Self-Help Literature
also: Lifestyle & Internet Culture
The Early Bird Catches the Worm
Whoever shows up first gets the reward — the productivity proverb of every 5 a.m. routine.
Origin
First recorded in William Camden's *Remaines Concerning Britaine* (1605): 'The early bird catcheth the worme.' Took on new life in 19th-century American Protestant work ethic and 20th-century corporate culture. Modern science cheerfully notes that morning-lark or night-owl tendencies are largely genetic, but the proverb persists.
Modern usage
The slogan of every CEO morning routine, every '5 a.m. club' book, every parent dragging a teenager out of bed. Routinely answered by the late-riser rejoinder 'the second mouse gets the cheese,' which has become almost as common online.
Tags
discipline
morning
productivity
proverb