YOU’VE GOT FIVE SECONDS

To Do List: Check

Have you ever known exactly what you were supposed to do but it was really hard for you to do it let alone even start? We’ve all been there. It can simple like cleaning the house, running the errand you don’t want to or making the phone call you’ve put off for way too long. It can go deeper too. It might be that you’re struggling with the anxiety of meeting new people, applying for a new job or confronting a fear that could be holding you back.

CreativeLive is an online education platform full of great, inspiring classes whether it’s in photography, art and design or marketing and business. I recently enrolled in one of Mel Robbins classes on CreativeLive. One of the topics she discusses is her brilliant 5 Second Rule. If you want to enroll in her class, you can do so here. What is the 5 Second Rule though?

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - GO!

Mel Robbins said this is the definition of the 5 Second Rule, “If you have an impulse to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea.” It’s all about going for it, literally physically acting on your goal within 5 seconds so that your brain doesn’t talk you out of it. This seemingly small change by taking action could become a habit which could in turn change your life.

What do you love doing? Why not make it your career? Don’t wait, just start writing an action plan or searching for ways to start online. Maybe you’ve been fearful about something that seems impossible to do. Walk through your fear. On the other side is this beautiful space where magic happens. It won’t be comfortable and you might fail, but that’s ok because failure is a necessity to success. Thomas Watson said, “Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really: Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, so go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.” Preach.

Take Action

A key to the 5 Second Rule is physically moving and starting the task. Mel Robbins explains, “It (your brain) thinks it’s keeping you safe when in fact it is keeping you from growing as a person, stretching yourself in your business, and fully experiencing life. You see, your brain has 3 basic jobs. It narrates your life as you live it and catalogs your memories. It operates your body’s functions. And it protects you from danger. When you stop and think, when you hesitate, and when you feel uncertain, you are signaling to your brain that something’s wrong. Your brain automatically goes into overdrive to protect you. How does it protect you? By keeping you from doing anything that feels scary, hard, or uncertain. You know that there’s nothing dangerous about making a call or taking a walk or pursuing your dreams. But your brain doesn’t know that, and it tries to sabotage you. The 5 Second Rule is a way to outsmart your brain by changing hesitation into action.”

I’d love to hear if y’all try this out and how it works for you! You can sign up for Mel Robbins’ complete class on CreativeLive here.