The 5 Second Rule- Mel Robbins
Don't tell people your dreams; show them"
Hi Friend!
“Tomorrow I will change. Tomorrow I will wake up earlier. Tomorrow, I will have a better attitude and try a little harder. I will go to the gym. I will be nice to my husband. I will eat healthy. I wont drink so much. Tomorrow, I will be the future me”.
“The 5 Second Rule is simple. If you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within five seconds or your brain will kill it. The moment you feel an instinct or a desire to act on a goal or a commitment, use the Rule.”- Mel Robbins
When Robbins was struggling to wake up earlier in the morning, she realized that it took around five seconds to stop herself from adopting this positive habit. Later, one evening, she noticed that rockets launch into space after a five-second countdown. It then dawned on her that she too could give herself the push she needed to take back control of her life – like the rocket.
“The moment you feel yourself hesitate before doing something that you know you should do, count five-four-three-two-one-GO and move towards action. If you don’t move in five seconds, your mental habits take over and kill your instinct to change, innovate or step outside your comfort zone,” she adds.
From waking up earlier in the morning to initiating a conversation with a potential business contact, the ‘The 5 Second Rule’ helps people move out of thinking and into doing. With such a small window in which to act, fear and self-doubt don’t stand a chance of creeping in and sabotaging us from taking action.
Additionally it’s a mental tool that leads to good habits that support your goals, in all aspects of life “Counting backwards requires focus, and when you focus, your prefrontal cortex awakens, and by the way, that’s the part of the brain that helps you learn new positive behavior patterns,” Robbins enthuses.
“From the moment that you have the idea, you’ve only got five seconds to take action, otherwise it’s gone. Write it down, schedule it, send an email to yourself or make the request,” she suggests. “The moment you feel yourself wanting to give into distraction, you’re going to use the rule again.”
When to use ‘The 5 Second Rule:
To wake up in the morning
Before responding to an email
When hesitating to reach out to a new client
Before undertaking some form of exercise
When you think of an innovative idea
Before attending a social event
Before negotiating with someone
When you’re about to indulge in a bad habit
The benefits of using “The 5 Second Rule:
Prevents overthinking and self-doubt
Gives you a greater sense of emotional control
Encourages you to trust your instincts
Increases your confidence and courage
Changes the way you perceive failure
Prevents you from holding yourself back from opportunities
You feel more empowered for taking actions that align with your goals
Take a moment and think about the last time you had a brilliant thought that you failed to act on. What stopped you from taking action? In what ways would your life be different if you followed this rule more often?
XO Jenna
