How former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack starts his day

Driving the news: Vilsack joined us at our Axios Des Moines event last week, where he talked about agriculture and challenges facing rural Iowa.

• We asked him about his morning routine afterward.

State of play: The former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says he's studying French from The Great Courses to "relearn what I didn't learn really well in high school," he tells Axios.

• He's also tries to read an act of Shakespeare in the morning to keep his mind sharp. If there's enough time, he'll lift weights four to five times a week before he showers, shaves and heads into work.

Here's how Vilsack starts his day:

⏰ Wake up: Between 5:30-6am.

🍳 Breakfast: "I'm a big yogurt-protein guy."

📱 What he's reading: Aside from Shakespeare, Vilsack says he reads the sports page from Pittsburgh, his hometown.

• He also scans the Register, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal.

💡 Advice for young people interested in politics: "Pursue your passion. If you pursue your passion, you're going to do something with it, and you're going to do something well."

• Vilsack says that helps lead to relationships that can later help in a political career.