The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Runners and Walkers

Stephen Covey‘s The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, first published in 1990, is now a classic book in the world of business and self-help. The seven habits are:

• Be Proactive
• Begin with the End in Mind
• Put First Things First
• Think Win/Win
• Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
• Synergize
• Sharpen the Saw

These habits are worthy of consideration for your life as a runner or walker, too. Here are my examples of how to apply these seven habits to your workouts and races.

Habit 1: Be Proactive

• If you are going on a group training run or walk, do not assume that the coaches will have the directions. Print and carry your own directions and map.
• If you see a hazard along your group’s training route, let someone such as a coach know about it. Or protect your fellow trainees from the hazard until everyone has passed.
• If you discover in a training schedule that you should complete a particular kind of workout, then take time to learn why and how you should complete it.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

• Know the chip-time that you want to get when you cross the finish line in an upcoming race.
• Know your flexibility goals for the coming year.
• Know your strength goals for the coming year.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

• Take care of injuries before you take care of improving your performance.
• Take care of form before you take care of improving your performance.
• Take care of your flexibility and core strength before you take care of improving your performance.

Habit 4: Think Win/Win

• Encourage fellow runners and walkers as much as you encourage yourself.
• Train to improve others’ running or walking performances in your group training program as much as you train to improve your own performance.
• Race with others as much as you race against yourself.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

• Listen emphatically to others during a training run or walk before sharing your own challenges.
• Make a friend with someone struggling during each race by asking how he or she is doing and inviting him or her to run or walk with you.
• Focus on others’ running or walking challenges posted online before posting your own.

Habit 6: Synergize

• Ask fellow runners or walkers what running or walking tricks they use during workouts.
• Ask fellow racers what they say to themselves to make it to the next intersection or mile marker.
• Share your own tricks with other trainees or racers.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

• Cross-train.
• Have heavy and light running or walking days.
• Focus as much on the mental aspects of running or walking as on the physical aspects.

What would you list under each of these habits? Leave a comment. Thanks!