- To start a new activity or job with great energy, enthusiasm, and effectiveness, without needing time to adjust.
Explanation
Origin
Several debated origins:
- Possibly from soldiers jumping from trains or trucks, ready for immediate action.
- Possibly from hobos jumping off moving freight trains.
- Refers to starting immediately at full speed upon arrival ('hitting the ground').
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Dive headfirst
- Get stuck in (UK/Aus)
- Go hard from the start
- Light a fire under it (Start something quickly/energetically)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Bust ass from day one
- Go balls to the wall immediately (Work extremely hard/fast)
Milder/Formal:
- Begin effectively immediately
- Become productive without delay
- Integrate quickly and efficiently
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to Formal.
- Very common and acceptable in business and professional settings, as well as personal ones.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Could be taken literally if someone doesn't understand idioms, but context (new job, project start) usually makes it clear.
Examples
- She's great; she joined the team last week and hit the ground running.
- We need the new manager to hit the ground running as the project deadline is close.
- After the holidays, I plan to hit the ground running on my fitness goals.
Dialogue
Manager A: How's the new hire, Priya, settling in?
Manager B: Amazingly well. She hit the ground running from day one. Already closed two deals.
Manager A: Wow, that's fantastic! Sounds like a great addition to the team.
Manager B: Absolutely. No learning curve needed there.
Social Media Examples
- LinkedIn Post: Excited to start my new role as Marketing Director today! Ready to hit the ground running and make an impact. #newjob #marketing #career
- Tweet: Shoutout to our dev team who hit the ground running after the outage and got everything back online super fast! #teamwork #dedication
- Facebook Update: First day of the semester! Time to hit the ground running with these readings. 📚 #backtoschool #studentlife
Response Patterns
- That's impressive!
- Good for them/you!
- Exactly what we needed.
- How did they manage that?
- Sounds exhausting!
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing someone hit the ground running:
- Ask what specific actions they took.
- Express admiration or approval.
- If referring to oneself, someone might ask how you're managing.
Conversation Starter
- No. Usually describes someone's performance after starting something. Can be used to set expectations (We expect you to hit the ground running).
Intonation
- Stress on hit, ground, and running.
- Often said with an energetic or approving tone. HIT the ground RUNNING.
Generation Differences
- Widely used and understood by most adult generations.
Regional Variations
- Common across all major English-speaking regions.