Don't forget about the evenings
I used to believe that your morning routine is what sets you up for a successful day, but recently, I’ve also learned that a conscious evening routine is equally as important.
For today’s 5-Minute Friday, I want to share four key steps with you that you can do before bed in order to hit the next day running. But before I do that, I want to tell you a story.
My entire childhood, I dreamed of being an all American athlete. In college, I decided I wanted to be an all-American in track and field. And it wasn’t until about six months before the national championship that I decided to try a new event, which was the decathlon.
The decathlon has 10 key events, one of which was pole vaulting, which I had never done. I had NO idea how to pole vault, and experts say that the pole vault is one of the hardest athletic feats to tackle in sports. So I had a lot to catch up on in six months before the event. I decided that I was going to make every minute count in the day, specifically my evening routine. I would watch a highlight videotape of the best pole vaulters in the world and actually lay upside down in my bed while doing the movements the pole vaulters were doing.
In my mind, I visualized everything. I was putting the pole in the box, going upside down over the bar, and throwing my legs up in the air while I was watching this tape over and over again. I would do this for about 30 to 60 minutes a night for six months. The next morning at 6AM, I would actually go practice pole vaulting and implement the techniques I had visualized the night before.
Why is this story important? Because six months later, I became an All-American athlete in the decathlon. I credit it a lot to taking action every single day and having great coaches, but without this evening routine, I would not have been prepared for what was to come.
So, here are four key steps that I want you to think about for your evening routine. I promise you – if you follow these steps, you will wake up the next morning feeling so much more refreshed and ready to conquer your day!
#1. Eliminate electronics that cause distractions the hour before bed. Now in my case, those highlight videos helped me visualized the movements I needed to learn. So it’s different if you’re using your electronics for growth — but if you’re just watching mindless TV, that’s not going to support you and set you up for success in the morning. I like to put my phone as far away from me as possible an hour before I go to sleep so that I’m not tempted to check it in the middle of the night.
#2. Reflect on what you’re grateful for. This is huge for me. First thing in the morning, in our team meanings, or when I’m with friends, I constantly ask: What are the top three things you are grateful for? Then I share the three things I’m grateful for. Gratitude brings perspective in your life and lowers your stress. It’s the perfect practice to set you up for the next morning!
#3. Visualize the day ahead. Sometimes when I’m going to sleep, I like to play a movie in my mind of how I want tomorrow to look like. Go through all the actions and get clear on exactly what you’re going to do.
#4. Make a list. This step is the follow-up to visualization. Write down the actions you need to take in the morning to make the day wonderful, whether that means getting up at 6AM to go work out, making yourself a wonderful breakfast, or going on a walk with a friend.
Friends, if you focus on these four key steps, I guarantee you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, motivated, and ready to go. If you find that this evening routine works for you and inspires you, make sure to share with someone else who could use it and start applying it to their life!
Join me on Episode 996 to learn more about the evening routine that will change your life!
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Music Credit:
Next Galaxy by Extan
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