By: Hal Elrod
Reviewed by: Julie Melaschenko
The Premise: A tome for greater personal satisfaction, success and productivity, The Miracle Morning, the book and the cult-like following that they inspired, are the brainchild of Hal Elrod. After a life-changing car accident, Elrod used his experience and recovery to channel gratitude into a series of successful life events that lead to an a-ha moment. Even though he was back on an upward career path in a successful sales job, he came to the realization that he hadn’t realized his full potential and set himself on a path to do just that. A shift in careers and the 2008 economic downturn put this need into sharp focus, and Miracle Mornings were born. After setting the stage, the book begins by outlining Elrod’s three imperative arguments: you are worthy; you must set aside time each day; how you start your day determines your level of success. His quote from Jim Rohn sums up the entire premise “Your level of success, will rarely exceed your personal development, because success is something you attract by the person you become”. Miracle Mornings are the solutions to this dilemma – how to make the time to work on personal development, especially in a hectic work environment. The book goes on to outline how to have a Miracle Morning and what to do to ensure success, in a way that is accessible and well thought out.
The Bottom Line: I have to say it was the opening quote that got me hooked on this book. Personal development leads to personal success – I get it. But when am I going to have time to do this? Busy with work and life, we can all feel the inertia of the treadmill, but I was willing to hear advice on how to carve out some personal time. I really appreciated that Elrod deals with the initial flack right out of the gate – getting up any earlier than necessary was not what I’d put on my list of things to do. However, the book is peppered with examples and testimonials (and an online facebook community) [www.MtTMMCommunity.com] of how to make it happen. Defining purpose, taking responsibility, being accountable and setting intentions around what Elrod calls his Life S.A.V.E.R.S. (6 practices towards fulfilling your potential) are all excellent motivators and are well explained. So, did I get up and have a miracle morning? I did! Following the advice, I went to bed earlier and got up when I woke naturally. I did a small workout, meditated, wrote in a journal and just basically felt like I got my day off to a better start than I ever had – and it really did kick start my day!
Recommendation – recommended for leaders who want shake up their routine and get more out of their day, and life.
