How To Get More Energy

“How to get more energy,” this was my initial thought. A thought that was born at an Anthony Robbins event. Why? Because after 5 hours of climbing an emotional high, I realised that I was physically drained. What’s worse, even though these 5 hours were semi active, you could hardly class it as a physical event. Have you come home after a day’s work, where you’ve been sitting all day and felt physically drained? You did, right? How is it possible, that doing nothing, physically that is, can be so exhausting? You thought, how to get more energy, but nothing seemed to work.

Let’s look at another example. You had a lie in. Yes, slept all night and the better part of the morning, got up, wondered around the house, maybe ate something, sat yourself down on the couch, turned on the TV and spent another half of the day in front of it. By the time late afternoon came, you were tired? Sound familiar? Of course not, not you, but I’m sure you know of someone like that. Someone, that having done nothing for a whole day is more exhausted than Rocky Balboa after a 15 round bout with Drago. This is where I am coming from. It did not matter, if I slept 6 or 10 hours, if I had been on my feet all day or in a chair, everyday I would feel exhausted. Not just in the evening, first thing in the morning as well. And during the day. And afternoon. Can you relate? How to get more energy, if even sleep does not help? All I thought was that I want more energy, yet failed to do anything about it. Until one day. One day, that I will remember for the rest of my life. That day I told myself that I have to start with my body. There is no other way. My body is the foundation, the temple, the force that runs everything.

If I want more energy, I need my body to provide it. There is no other way. Do you agree? Do you need more energy? Yes? Good. Now, why do you want more energy? Is it to be more alert, is it to be able to sleep less and party more? Or do you have a more meaningful reason, like being able to spend more time with your kids, or have more strength to pursue your goals after you get back home from work? I found a very good reason to want more and then started to look how to get more energy. It was to be able to work on reaching my goals. Without energy, I had no time or will to pursue them. With extra energy, everything is easier to pursue. Remember, if you want to achieve something, always think why you want to do it. The better your reason, the stronger the drive to achieve it. Greater energy is the foundation on which to build the drive. Do you still want to have more energy?

Searching For the Energy Source

I had my goal, I had my reason for achieving it and then the big question came – how? How to get more energy? Extra sleep would be good but I already knew, that it really did not make that much difference for me. To make things worse, extra sleep was not really an option. If I wanted to pursue other activities outside of work, I needed more time, not less. I have a feeling you know this situation. Time is precious, and we all want to make best use out of it. Sleep is good but it sometimes can take too much of our precious time. Working out in the gym was another alternative. However, somehow I did not see it as the right solution. I know and see people going there, yet after a workout, they seem more exhausted. Weights are not my thing anyways. As I searched, I stumbled upon a solution. Running. Running? I remember a few years back when I gave running a go about half a dozen times. How to get more energy, if after 15 – 20 minutes I was dead (exhausted). Definitely no extra energy. Less energy and tiredness more like it. Have you had a similar experience with running? It’s a tiring activity. Before I knocked it on the head though, I decided to do a little research. The best way to do something new is to duplicate what successful people do in the given field. Why spend years on trial and error. Find a person who is doing what you want to do and is successful at it and do the same.

Running – A Source of Energy

I reached for a book by Stu Mittleman titled “Slow Burn”. For those who don’t know Stu Mittleman, he is an ultra runner. A man who once ran 1000 miles in less than 12 days and across the USA in less than 2 months. He has held records at different ultra distances in his life and is still running strong in his sixties. He also trains other runners, celebrities, businessmen and regular folk like you and me how to run. Not only how to run, but how to get most out of running – how to get more energy being one of the key elements. So I started like he described in his book. And from day 1 I began noticing that I have more energy at the end of the running session compared to the start. How was it possible? I have just spent nearly 30 minutes on a treadmill and have more energy. Not just a one off, every time I do it! The secret? It’s all about the right pace. A pace which will allow your body to tap into fat resources, which we all have and take energy from there. With time and regular running, your body will learn to tap into these resources even when you are not out running, giving you more energy during the day. Does this sound great? You don’t believe me, then try it yourself. Here is a link to Stu’s book. Two and a half years later, 20 pounds lighter, I am still going strong, having more energy then ever. This was just the beginning for me and I am still learning how to run, but I gained more energy from day 1. YOU can do it too!!! Still not convinced? Go to a park and ask the first runner that passes by, do they feel they have more energy as a result of running. You will get a positive answer from a large majority. If reading the whole book is too much work for you, click here for a brief summary, with key instruction, which will get you started. Go for it, you can have more energy!!!

I’d love to see your comments, especially if you’ve given it a go. Have you noticed an increase in energy? Are you finding problems with getting started or still feel the lack of energy? Keep me posted and I will help you resolve any issues.

A little footnote if I may. Two and a half years after my first meeting with Anthony Robbins, I have once again had the privilege to be at his event. This time, it was not 5 hours, it was 3 full days. Guess what, I had all the energy I wanted and after each day, I was even stronger and more pumped with energy. Running gives more energy!!!