Elrod’s “The Miracle Morning” Provides Tips for Better Living

In the updated and expanded edition of The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8 AM), Hal Elrod shares his system for getting the most out of your life, both at and outside the workplace. In the book, Elrod recommends starting the day with specific activities: Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing (S.A.V.E.R.S., for short). There are specific chapters on how to perform each of these activities, as well as recommendations for how to build them into your day.

The Miracle Morning could be categorized as a book about self-realization, and that’s not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. For those who do enjoy books of this nature, The Miracle Morning is worth cracking open.”

The Miracle Morning was first published in 2012, but the updated edition includes new content, including examples of how people have used the S.A.V.E.R.S. system to change their lives, additional tips on applying the techniques, and two new chapters including one on how to get a better night’s sleep.

In the course of the book, Elrod shares his own life story and the traumas and struggles he has faced, which lends credence to the contents. Elrod isn’t just talking the talk when it comes to the Miracle Morning system. He’s walked the walk as well.

In The Miracle Morning, Elrod suggests that people who start their day with S.A.V.E.R.S. will be more effective and more focused. He makes a compelling case. And, for those concerned about the “Before 8 AM” portion of the subtitle, getting up early to work through S.A.V.E.R.S isn’t a strict requirement. Though Elrod recommends that the activities be performed first thing in the morning, and for specific durations, he also acknowledges that individuals can customize both the timing and the duration. It’s the activities themselves that matter.

I found myself drawn forward in the book’s early going, as Elrod shared details about his personal life and how he came upon the idea of the Miracle Morning system. Before the detailed chapters about each activity, Elrod builds a case for why the Miracle Morning system is important and foreshadows the topics he plans to delve into. Some of the later chapters were denser, and I took longer to make sure I understood the content.

In addition to outlining the S.A.V.E.R.S. system and how to perform it, Elrod also provided insight into topics like why people often fail to keep their New Year’s Resolutions, and where some of the traditional practices around visualization go astray. The insights Elrod shared made sense to me. I also found the chapter on how to get a good night’s sleep of particular interest and managed to apply some of the concepts right away.

For those who are sufficiently intrigued by techniques explained in The Miracle Morning, there are plenty of supporting resources. There’s a website called miraclemorning.com, a Miracle Morning app, Miracle Morning journals and planners available for purchase, and Miracle Morning books specifically geared to certain professions, such as teachers, real estate agents, and salespeople. There’s even a The Miracle Morning for College Students book.

The Miracle Morning could be categorized as a book about self-realization, and that’s not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. For those who do enjoy books of this nature, The Miracle Morning is worth cracking open. Full disclosure: I’m more inclined personally toward doing a modified version of S.A.V.E.R.S. as opposed to the full monty, but I’ve already found some of the book’s advice and insight to be useful in sharpening my focus and motivation. There’s plenty of value here for those curious about ways to increase their effectiveness, or simply to live life at their best, however they choose to define it.


Hal Elrod is on a mission to elevate the consciousness of humanity, one reader at a time. As the author of the international bestseller The Miracle Morning, as well as his newest book, The Miracle Equation, he is doing exactly that. After overcoming multiple near-death experiences and impacting millions of lives, he has dedicated his own life to showing others how to overcome their challenges so that they can fulfill the unlimited potential that is within each of us.

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster (Jan. 9 2024)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1668060345
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1668060346

Lisa Timpf is a retired HR and communications professional who lives in Simcoe, Ontario. Her writing has appeared in New Myths, Star*Line, The Future Fire, Triangulation: Habitats, and other venues. Lisa’s speculative haibun collection, In Days to Come, is available from Hiraeth Publishing. You can find out more about Lisa’s writing at http://lisatimpf.blogspot.com/.