Richard Branson. Beawiharta/Reuters Google "Richard Branson" and "success" and you get over 1.4 million results. Yes, million.

It’s no small wonder, since he is the only entrepreneur to have built eight separate billion-dollar companies starting with Virgin in 1970 at the age of 20.

Now, just under a half-century later, he has climbed his way to number 330 on Forbes’ list of The World’s Billionaires (ranking #12 in the U.K.) with a reported net worth of about $5 billion.

Want to know what one of his secret weapons is? What if I told you it was something any of us could do?

In a post on Virgin.com, Branson explained the reasons why he wakes up early and discussed some of the benefits of having a consistent morning routine:

"Over my 50 years in business I have learned that if I rise early I can achieve so much more in a day, and therefore in life."

Here’s a breakdown of what Sir Richard does each day and ideas for you to create your own perfect morning routine … and maybe even wind up joining him on that Forbes’ list I mentioned earlier.

Wake up early so that you achieve more

Getting up earlier in the day gives you time you wouldn’t normally have to accomplish the very activities that can take you to higher levels. Branson elaborates on this further in his "Why I Wake Early" blog post:

"No matter where I am in the world, I try to routinely wake up at around 5am. By rising early, I’m able to do some exercise and spend time with my family, which puts me in a great mind frame before getting down to business."

These activities can be any number of things, such as:

Meditating to clear your mind, which several highly successful people like hedge fund manager Ray Dalio, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and Def Jam founder Russell Simmons do regularly.

highly successful people Reading to build your motivation, inspiration, and knowledge, which can help you join the ranks of other high-accomplishing morning-reading entrepreneurs such as Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

Writing to channel your focus, which can be in the form of creating a to-do list, writing a gratitude list, or even writing Morning Pages, Julia Cameron’s simple tool designed to help you "provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand."

Although Branson himself wakes at 5 a.m. daily, even getting up even a half-hour or so earlier than you normally do can give you more time to do the things that will help you progress the most. Not a morning person? No problem …here’s how you can become one pretty easily.

Get some physical activity in to boost your productivity

One of the things that Richard Branson does when he gets up early is exercise, a key element of something that his content manager calls "Productivity the Richard Branson Way."

When asked in a 2013 interview what makes him "come most alive," Branson remarked:

"Being fit and healthy, There's nothing like the endorphins from being fit, and the incredible endorphin rush that goes with that."

Research backs this up … as it has been repeatedly proven that exercise can boost your feel-good endorphins and improve your mood. But did you know that it can also make you more productive? Incorporating exercise into your morning routine will lead to benefits such as to improved concentration, better memory, accelerated learning, lower stress levels and even enhanced creativity … all of which lead to a more productive you!

By starting your mornings off with healthy physical activity, you are setting yourself up with improved mental capacity and lower stress … both of which are very important for a productive day.

Branson spends his mornings kitesurfing, swimming, or playing tennis. Other successful people engage in other types of physical activity as well.

For example, Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat follows an exercise regimen called the Spartacus Workout, U.S. Senator Cory Booker likes to cycle, and TV star Oprah Winfrey does a mixture of cardio, strength training, and meditation to help her "power through her busy days."

Find an exercise that you enjoy and you’ll be more likely to commit to doing it regularly. Some ideas to consider include:

Walking

Running

Cycling

Yoga

Hiking

Rock climbing

Playing a sport

As a side note: Choosing a sport or any other activity that involves a friend — also known as a "Workout Buddy" — is a great way to stay motivated, challenged, and accountable!

Spend time with family to put yourself in a good mindset

Branson says that spending time with his family every morning helps put him "in a great mind frame before getting down to business."

I know it does for me too, which is why I spend part of my daily morning routine with my wife, daughter, and puppy. Not only does this help them know how important they are to me, but it also grounds me before I start my day.

South University in Cleveland points out additional benefits of family time as it:

Strengthens the emotional bond between family members

Enhances communication

Improves your child’s school performance

Results in your child or children having fewer behavioral problems

So, take the time each morning to truly connect with your partner, kids, friends, and you will all benefit.

Do what works for you

Although these are the morning activities that help Richard Branson excel each and every day, he also reminds us that it’s crucial to do "whatever works best" for you. In other words, you need to do the things that help you achieve more, make you the most productive, and put you in a good mindset.

Getting up early and being productive from the start can help you to get the most out of your day and ultimately … your life. As Sir Richard reminds us, "… life is not a dress rehearsal, so we should live each day to its full capacity."

To learn how to create the perfect morning routine for you, check out The Ultimate Guide to Creating the Perfect Morning Routine (Even If You’re Not a "Morning Person"). It gives you everything you need to be the best you that you can be!

Chris Winfield is an entrepreneur and success ​coach in New York City. With the use of simple systems, techniques and the power of true focus, Chris teaches people how to get 40 hours of work done in 16.7 and much more.