Crossing the Sleep/Wake Chasm

tagged crossing the chasm, Mate, mate conversions, Pixie Mate and sleep wake cycle

There is a special time for mate’ people. Morning! That first brew is nothing short of spectacular. Many of us have a routine. As for me, I work in software, so I start up the computers. Then, I turn on the burners and wait for the boiling screams from my tea kettle. The deep, rich mate’ blend smell that I’m fond of almost supplies me with the energy I need. However, I’m fond of the zing I get from a good cup of mate. I drink. I enjoy.

Miles Davis sums it up perfectly for me…

I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning… Every day I find something creative to do with my life.
Miles Davis

Miles had the “mate morning mind” where ideas and possibilities are fresh. The aroma of potential is all around a mate’ morning mind. BUT, do coffee drinkers have the same feeling? What’s more, how long does it take them to “get there” like we do with mate’? I set out to answer this question from a fellow coffee drinkers. What I found was a difference in the state between being awake and asleep. I call it the sleep/wake chasm.

Many of you have probably heard of the technology chasm. You know, the early adopters to the laggards; those that will adopt technology and the far behind. I’m sure you’ve met people in both classes. The early adopter installed the iPhone 2.0 software and knows how to use it thoroughly. The laggards still cling to bag phones. The chasm is the space between the early adopters and everyone else. The author Geoffrey Moore coined the term and it fits here too.

After speaking to my coffee friends, I’m convinced that mate’ drinkers cross the sleep/wake chasm earlier than coffee drinkers (see the chart). I asked a simple question: “when do you feel awake after drinking coffee?” Statements like these from my friends were not uncommon:

“I have to drink a whole pot to wake up, even after a good night’s sleep”

“I ‘feel’ awake about mid morning, even early afternoon”

“Dude, what other option do we have other than coffee” - ps: I think I turned this guy to mate’…

My theory is that mate’ freshens the mind with zing and creates the feeling of awake much more effectively than coffee. In other words, you can cross the sleep/wake chasm much quicker with mate’. Don’t believe me? Well interview your friends and post a comment on this blog and share…

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