About #Dan
Who the hell is he and why
should you care?

Get to know Dan and what tools he uses to stay productive

I am a coach, trainer and speaker specializing in productivity and life balance for entrepreneurs. I have helped more than 300 entrepreneurs regain balance in their lives while increasing their work productivity.

I help entrepreneurs create a lifestyle that balances family, health, hobbies, spirituality and business, so they can live their best life possible.

I make this possible through my 5AM Productivity Coaching Program where I coach, teach and monitor an entrepreneur for 16 weeks.

What better way to know a person than to know his core beliefs... the beliefs that govern his work and life?

Things I strongly believe:

  • I believe that productivity starts when you wake up and ends when you go to sleep.
  • I believe that habits are the real shortcut to mastery.
  • I believe that focus is better for getting results than having more time.
  • I believe that work / life balance starts with a good morning ritual.
  • I believe that fulfillment is more important than happiness and success.
  • I believe that waking up early is the surest way to greatness.

The question I get asked the most by entrepreneurs is what do I do to stay at my productivity peak. So here's the gist:

Tools that I am using to stay at my peak

My own developed tools

Things that I measure daily

I am monitoring 17 daily habits. They are all “productive” in nature and they give me a great 360-degree view of the quality of my life. On a daily basis, I keep track of:

  • Shut-eye time (when my head hits the pillow, usually before 10:30 PM)
  • Wake-up time (80%+ is at 5 AM)
  • Hot water/tea in the first 10 minutes after waking up
  • 10 minutes of exercise in the first 30 minutes after waking up
  • Breakfast in the first hour after waking up (cereals, homemade yogurt, nuts)
  • 5AM Daily Plan (a tool I developed)
  • My single goal for the day (with clear outcomes)
  • Written gratitude practice for 5 minutes
  • 20 minutes of great workout, after 9 AM (cardio and strength)
  • Write 1,000 words per day
  • Read for 1 hour per day (usually I "consume" a whole book in that time)
  • Marketing activities for 1 hour per day (sometimes more…)
  • Fruits eaten daily (I aim towards 3 fruits per day)
  • Facetime with my wife
  • Playtime time with my two boys
  • Daily expense tracking (I keep a shoebox with all invoices collected during the day)
  • Daily Review (a tool I developed)

What's your favorite question when you want to get to know a person? My favorite one is "What are the things that you are most proud of?".

Acievements that I am proud of

  • I have been waking up at 5 a.m. since October 2, 2010
  • I have been in a loving relationship with my wife for 17 years… and we still love each other more than ever
  • I am the proud father of two great boys: Rares & Tudor
  • I am passionate about teenage education and spend time weekly, volunteering my time to mentor youth
  • I have been to 17 countries on 4 continents in order to find wisdom to live a fulfilled life
  • I have read more 1,300 books in the past 15 years

The second question that I ask when I want to really know someone is "What are the things that you are most ashamed of?".

Failures that I am not proud of

  • Failed my final Math exam in High School
  • Failed my Statistics exam 3 times in University
  • Failed to turn around a student NGO as an HR Vice President
  • Failed to deliver the promised results in an international project as leader of a team of 28 people
  • Failed in my first telecom business with 6 other friends during University
  • Failed in my first business partnership due to different outlooks on the business
  • Failed to take care of my body and avoid any physical exercise during my 4 years of Corporate employment
  • Failed to have my first book printed by the age of 35

Now that you know
still want to be friends?

If the answer is "YES", then let’s start by being virtual friends first... and after, that see where it goes :)