The 5 Second Rule

1. About the Book

1.1. Title

1.1.1. The 5 Second Rule

1.1.2. Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

1.2. Release date

1.2.1. February 28, 2017

1.3. Hardcover

1.3.1. 240 pages

1.4. Named the #1 audiobook in the world

1.5. About the Author

1.5.1. Mel Robbins

1.5.1.1. Serial entrepreneur

1.5.1.1.1. CEO and co-founder of The Confidence Project

1.5.1.2. CNN contributor

1.5.1.3. One of the most booked motivational speakers

1.5.1.4. Website

1.5.1.5. Also check out

1.5.1.5.1. #MelRobbinsLive

1.5.2. Mel Robbins' TED Talk: How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over

1.5.2.1. In this talk, Mel mentions the #5SecondRule for the first time

2. What is the #5SecondRule?

2.1. A powerful metacognition technique

2.2. A simple, but powerful tool

2.3. A “starting ritual”

2.3.1. activates the prefrontal cortex

2.3.2. helps you to change your behavior

2.4. What does the #5SecondRule do?

2.4.1. Helps you to overcome your tendency to overthink the smallest moves with a bias toward action

2.4.2. Teaches you HOW TO CHANGE

2.4.3. Helps you master self-monitoring

2.4.4. Helps overcome analysis paralysis

2.4.5. "If you know that there is something you can or should do to change yourself for the better, then you can use the #5SecondRule to push yourself to do it, regardless of how you feel."

2.4.6. The rule doesn't make things easy; it makes them happen.

2.4.7. It gets better:

2.4.7.1. Pushing yourself to take simple actions creates a chain reaction in your confidence and your productivity

2.4.7.2. Locus of Control

2.4.7.2.1. "The more that you believe that you are in control of your life, your actions and your future, the happier and more successful you’ll be."

3. How Does the #5SecondRule Work?

3.1. The Science Behind the 5 Second Rule

3.1.1. When you count backwards, you mentally shift the gears in your mind

3.1.2. You interrupt your default thinking and do what psychologists call “assert control.”

3.1.3. The counting distracts you from your excuses and focuses your mind on moving in a new direction.

3.2. The Problem with Hesitation

3.2.1. We tend to hesitate right before we do something that's scary or difficult

3.2.2. Even one second of hesitation can stop you from proceeding

3.2.3. This way, we hold ourselves back in a lot of small, mundane moments every day

3.2.3.1. But it's not the big moments that define our lives, it's the smallest ones!

3.2.4. "Courage is the ability to do things that feel difficult, scary, or uncertain."

3.2.4.1. Step outside your comfort zone

3.2.4.2. Share your ideas

3.2.4.3. Speak up

3.2.4.4. Show up

3.2.4.5. Stand firm in your beliefs

3.2.4.6. Sometimes, it's just about getting out of bed!

4. Which Problem Does this Book Address?

4.1. We make decisions NOT based on what we know we need to do, or based on our long-term goals

4.2. We make decisions based on HOW WE FEEL RIGHT NOW

4.3. And there are many things we just NEVER feel like doing!

4.3.1. Motivation Is a MYTH

4.3.1.1. You may think that in order to change, you have to feel motivated

4.3.1.2. But the truth is that you will most likely NOT feel motivated when the time comes to assert yourself

4.4. But what can you do?

4.4.1. YOU need to PUSH yourself

4.4.1.1. “It’s absolutely incredible and awe-inspiring how easy things become once you wrap your head around your own ability to PUSH yourself.”

4.4.2. YOU need to parent yourself

5. How to Use the #5SecondRule

5.1. Use it whenever...

5.1.1. ...you feel the instinct to act on a goal

5.1.1.1. "When it comes to goals, dreams, and changing your life, your inner wisdom is a genius. Your goal-related impulses, urges, and instincts are there to guide you. You need to learn to bet on them."

5.1.2. ...you feel yourself hesitating before something you know you should do

5.2. Start by counting backwards in your head

5.2.1. 5-4-3-2-1

5.3. As soon as you reach '1', MOVE

5.3.1. Physical movement is the most important part of the rule

5.3.2. When you move, your physiology changes and your mind simply follows