I feel when you know that something is important for you to a great degree, no matter how much you hate to wake up, you do get up, at times even before the deadline.
I, personally was never a morning person and right now also I don't sleep very early but when it comes to waking up every day, I think I am doing pretty decent job. I wake up at 5:20 a.m and once you inculcate a habit it eventually becomes a life style.
So, I guess, telling yourself every day that WHY and HOW MUCH IMPORTANT any thing is going to sail anybody through anything.