When I was younger, and all the way through college, getting up early was difficult for me. Now that I’ve reached my 40’s, I realize that I’m becoming a morning person. I also realized the benefits of starting early and getting to bed at a reasonable time.
If I ever find myself sitting on the couch in the evening for more than 30 minutes or so watching mindless television, I shake my head in disgust at myself. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen very often, unless I’m intentionally watching a movie or just don’t have the energy to do anything other than breathe.
And I don’t say this to be magnanimous, but deep down, I think most people know that watching tv is NOT the best way to spend your time.
So my goal with this post is for you to consider putting down the remote (or any electronics) in the evening, and getting to bed early so that you can get up for a morning run. I know it’s a lofty goal, but hear me out.
Best Reasons to do a Morning Run
Here are 6 reasons why a morning run is in your best interest.
1) Momentum – getting started is one of the biggest obstacles in achieving what you want in life. We tend to overthink and worry about the “what if’s” and the consequences. We get focused on what could go wrong instead of what could go right.
And this prevents us from ever starting. But once you finally decide to start, you can build upon that momentum and achieve great things. If you were to roll a basketball down a hill, it would gain speed and momentum, and this is what a morning run can do for you.
How many times have you gotten out of bed, put clothes on, then decided it was too much and removed your clothes and crawled back into bed? Rarely, right? Well maybe back in college after a rough night, but I think you get my point. Once we’re up, we continue with that momentum and push forward. Getting up early and getting that metaphorical ball rolling will make it easier to progress forward and maintain the momentum you’ve started.
2)Accomplishments – The sense of accomplishment carries us from one step to the next step. Even after you get going, you might not run your hardest or your fastest, but you’ve achieved the goal of doing a morning fun.
And this sense of accomplishment drives you to continue to achieve more throughout the day. So a morning run is a great springboard to achieve more goals during the day.
3)Appreciation – mornings can be very peaceful. If you’re up and running at dawn, you are in a rare group of people that get to enjoy the world before the day begins for others. This time is an opportunity to appreciate what you have. It can be easy to get bogged down and focus on all the things you don’t have in life. But before the rest of the world is up, and before the phones start ringing, take this time to reflect on the things you do have in life…
Appreciate the fact that you can run or walk!
Appreciate that you slept in a warm bed the night before!
Appreciate that you don’t live in a war-torn world!
Not everybody gets to enjoy these conveniences that we tend to take for granted. It makes the “first-world” problems you have seem pretty minor. Your perspective will influence your attitude, and this can totally change your outlook on life.
The reality is, that someone is walking miles a day for a gallon of clean water, and others are sleeping outside in the cold every night.
Be aware and grateful for what you have.
This awareness will help you deal with the obstacles or setbacks you encounter in life. If you look at the big picture, these little inconveniences you encounter on a day to day basis will start to seem pretty minor.
4)Preparation – they say “luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” A morning run is a great time to prepare for the day.
A clear head in the morning is a great tool to have, to set a goal or target of what you would like to accomplish.
If you don’t have a target or goal, you won’t have a direction to work towards, nor will you be able to know if you’ve reached your goal because nothing was set. If you set a goal your day will be much more productive and efficient. And as you check off those accomplishments, you’ll get addicted to accomplishing even more.
5)Your Competition – some of the greatest sports stars achieved their level of success because they outworked their opponents. The basketball players showed up early to practice free throws and jump shots, knowing that what separates them from their competition is their ability to outwork them.
Some of the most influential people know that constant improvement is what will put them at the top of the hill. If you’re not working hard to achieve your goals, somebody else is, and the position at the top only fits one person.
A morning run doesn’t need to be a personal best every time, but when someone passes by you, it should be a reminder that someone is working just as hard or harder to achieve what you want.
This can be the difference between becoming complacent and doubling down on your efforts to achieve your goals. You can always run just a little bit harder.
6)Self-perception – if you could bottle the effects of daily exercise and proper nutrition, it would be considered a miracle drug!
These two things are the biggest influencers in transforming your body.
If you see your physical body changing and developing into the shape you’ve desired, you’ll start to see yourself as someone who does what it takes to achieve your goals and objectives.
People will always follow through with who they think they are. If you think of yourself as someone who can achieve your dreams, you’re significantly more likely to do so. But if you have self-doubt and are pessimistic, you’re less inclined to accomplish what you want in life.
There’s a quote that goes “those who think they can, and those you think they can’t, are usually both right.” What if you had everything you needed to accomplish your goals? What if you all you had to do was find a way to get it done? At the end of the day, what we have and what we don’t have falls on our shoulders.
How you talk to yourself matters. Retain a winning mentality.
If you can work on these 5 tips in your morning runs, without a doubt you’ll start to see improvements in your life.
Conclusion of Morning Run
Doing a run first thing in the morning sets your day to be productive. There’s just something about being awake and productive before the rest of the world, that mentally and physically puts you one step ahead of others. If you’re looking to gain an advantage in this world, whether it be physically or mentally, getting tasks done in the morning while your brain and body are rested, can dramatically increase your odds of being successful.
As the day drags on, your energy is depleted, and doing a workout at the end of the day seems daunting. Completing a morning run, or any exercise routine (Bodyweight Burn Review) first thing in the morning will put you ahead in this world, and you’ll thank yourself.
Do you run in the morning? How has it benefited you? Leave a comment below.