The fact that I'll get fired if I stay in bed is usually the best motivator for me to get up.
I read somewhere that getting up early, when you are young, is much more difficult due to higher melatonin levels. The whole inner clock works differently. It's easier to stay up later (and harder to fall asleep early) when you're younger, and the opposite is true when you are older. I think your task is herculean not because you lack the correct technique, but because you're fighting an uphill battle against biology.
The Rev