Hey there. Orianna here from Fortune.

Richard Branson wakes up at 5 a.m., exercises, scrolls on social media, and sits down to a bowl of muesli, fruit, and his first of 20 daily cups of tea, before kickstarting his day. But now he’s warning that getting up at the crack of dawn like him won’t make you inherently more successful—and could actually burn you out.

“I sometimes worry that people think it’s the secret to success,” Branson recently wrote on LinkedIn. “There’s a lot of noise out there telling people how to live their lives and be successful. Rigid routines, relentless hustle.”

He clarified that he only wakes up early because it comes naturally to him. But in reality, there’s no “one-size-fits-all formula” for success—and following these hustle-culture silver bullets “will more likely lead to burnout than breakthroughs.”

If Branson has one piece of advice for anyone trying to replicate his routine, it’s not to.

The billionaire told me that people should spend less time obsessing over when successful people work, and more time figuring out when they do their best work.

“Firstly, reflect on when you feel at your best during the day,” Branson said. “For me, it’s early in the morning. Other people do their best work late at night.”

That self-reflection goes beyond deciding whether you’re an early bird or a night owl. You might be at your sharpest in the morning but most creative after dinner, Branson explained. Once you understand those patterns, you can start structuring your day around them. “There will always be parts of your schedule you can’t control,” he added. “But even the smallest tweaks can make a big difference.”

Branson said it took years of trial and error to discover his own rhythm. Having worked everywhere from “crypts underneath churches to houseboats and spare bedroom,” he said that he gradually learned what worked best for him and what didn’t, building a routine around those insights rather than forcing himself into someone else’s.

The same philosophy applies to avoiding burnout. “Be wary of anyone who claims to have the ‘key’ to success, and don’t compare yourself to others,” Branson told Fortune. “Everyone is on their own path. Work hard, certainly, but know the difference between working hard and working smart.”

Ultimately, the British billionaire stressed that prioritizing your health, relationships, and time away from the desk to be inspired will get you further than any 5 a.m. alarm.

—Orianna Rosa Royle
Success Associate Editor, Fortune

Got a career tip or dilemma? Get in touch: orianna.royle@fortune.com. You can also find me on LinkedIn, TikTok, X, and Instagram.