The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
Hey, you ever wake up feeling like life’s just… stuck on repeat? You open your eyes, already kind of tired, reach for your phone, scroll a bit, maybe snooze the alarm once or twice, then drag yourself into the day?
Yeah… me too.
That’s exactly where The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod hits home. It’s not just a “morning routine” book—it’s more like a wake-up call for your life. It helped me realize that how we start the day changes everything. And the crazy part? It’s not even hard to do.
Let me tell you what I learned from it, just like I’d tell a friend over a long, chill chai break.
Hal’s Story Will Jolt You
Before he even gets into the routine stuff, Hal shares his story—and man, it’s heavy.
At 20, he had a head-on car accident. Died for 6 minutes. Was told he might never walk again. And somehow, he not only walked—he ran ultramarathons later. If that wasn’t enough, years later the 2008 recession hits, and he loses everything again. He falls into a deep depression. Life just knocks him down.
But instead of giving up, he starts digging into personal development and notices something interesting:
Successful people tend to have powerful mornings.
So Hal thought—what if I take the best morning habits and put them into one routine? And boom, The Miracle Morning was born.
The Big Idea: Own Your Morning, Change Your Life
Hal believes that the way you wake up sets the tone for the rest of the day. And if you keep waking up reactive, hitting snooze, rushing around—you’re basically telling life, “I’m not in charge.”
But if you wake up intentional, calm, and focused, your entire day shifts.
It’s not about waking up at 4 a.m. like a Navy SEAL. It’s about giving yourself the first hour of the day before the world demands everything from you.
S.A.V.E.R.S. – The Miracle Morning Formula
Here’s the heart of the book. Hal came up with this simple system: six habits, one hour, and you’re set. He calls it Life S.A.V.E.R.S. (yeah, it’s cheesy, but it works).
S – Silence
Start with quiet. Just… pause. You can meditate, pray, breathe deeply, whatever helps you be still. No phone. No rushing. Just space to exist.
I started doing this for 5 minutes, and honestly? It feels like giving my brain a hug.
A – Affirmations
This one felt weird at first—saying positive things out loud to yourself. But it’s powerful. You’re reprogramming your mind. Instead of “I’m not good enough,” it becomes “I’m getting better every day.” You choose the narrative.
Even if it feels fake in the beginning, keep at it. Your mind starts believing what you repeatedly hear—especially from you.
V – Visualization
Close your eyes and see the life you want. Imagine crushing your goals, living with energy, being the version of you you’re proud of. The clearer and more emotional the image, the better.
It’s like mental rehearsal. Athletes use it. CEOs use it. Why not us?
E – Exercise
This doesn’t mean running 5K before breakfast. Even light stretching or dancing for 10 minutes gets your blood moving. It wakes up your body and your brain.
I literally started doing 2-minute jumping jacks and felt more awake than a double espresso.
R – Reading
Hal says, “Don’t reinvent the wheel—learn from those who already figured it out.” Read something positive or educational—self-help, personal growth, anything that feeds your mind. Just 10 pages a day adds up fast.
S – Scribing (aka journaling)
Write. About anything—your thoughts, goals, gratitude, lessons, even stuff that’s bothering you. Journaling clears mental clutter and helps you see patterns in your life.
You Don’t Need an Hour (Seriously)
Hal gives you a sample 60-minute routine:
- Silence – 5 mins
- Affirmations – 5 mins
- Visualization – 5 mins
- Exercise – 20 mins
- Reading – 15 mins
- Journaling – 10 mins
But let’s be real—not everyone has that time, especially with jobs, kids, or other chaos. So he also created a 6-minute version:
- One minute silence
- One minute affirmations
- One minute visualization
- One minute movement
- One minute reading
- One minute journaling
You can literally transform your life in the time it takes to brush your teeth.
What Makes It Work?
The reason this stuff works isn’t magic—it’s momentum. You start your day with positive actions that tell your brain, “I’m serious about life.” You’re building self-trust and consistency. And that spills into everything else.
The Miracle Morning gives you:
- More energy
- More clarity
- More confidence
- More control
It feels like you’re no longer drifting. You’re driving.
A Few Nuggets That Hit Hard
- “You snooze, you lose.”
Literally. Snoozing reinforces procrastination. Hal calls it “resisting your life.” Ouch. That one hurt a bit. - The 5-Minute Rule
When something sucks, give yourself 5 minutes to be upset, and then move on. Just say, “Can’t change it.” Simple, but powerful. - Level 10 Life
Rate every area of your life from 1–10: health, relationships, finances, etc. Where are you now? Where do you want to be? Your Miracle Morning is how you bridge that gap.
Real Talk: Is It Easy? Not Always. Worth It? Absolutely.
Some mornings, I still struggle. I hit snooze. I skip the routine. But even doing part of it makes a difference. And on the days I do the full thing? I feel unstoppable.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress.
You don’t need to become a morning monk. You just need to show up—for yourself.
Final Thoughts – From One Human to Another
If you’re feeling stuck, tired, or like life is just passing you by, The Miracle Morning is a beautiful reset button. It gives you a system to become the kind of person who doesn’t just dream about change—but actually creates it.
And honestly, this isn’t just about mornings. It’s about taking ownership of your life.
It’s about saying, “I matter. My time matters. My future matters.”
So even if you just start with 5 minutes tomorrow morning—just silence, or one sentence of journaling—that’s a win. And those little wins? They stack up.
Give it a try. You might just meet a better version of yourself before breakfast.