The 5-Second Rule

You know that nudge. That gentle or not-so-gentle feeling that something has to change.

Maybe you finally want to clean up your eating to improve your health.

Maybe you want to start working out so you get your energy back and feel stronger.

Or maybe your home is still feeling a little too “lived in” after the weekend and you get an urge to organize and clean.

Whatever the exact push is, author and motivational speaker Mel Robbins calls it an instinct for change.

She also says that unless you do something about it within 5 seconds, that instinct will die. (been there!)

This is easier said than done, so she came up with the 5-second Rule, based on real science, to help keep that instinct alive.

Basically, as soon as you have that instinct and as long as it’s one that supports your goals, you count backwards:

….5,4,3,2,1 and then you DO IT!

And guess what?

It works.

However, your brain wants to protect you and keep you safe and comfortable.

As a result, it sees change as a threat…so it will do whatever it can to shut down that change, including sending you a bunch of thoughts to keep you doing the same-old, same-old. (Thank you, prefrontal cortex!)

That’s why it’s so important to take action on those gut-level urges IMMEDIATELY…before your prefrontal cortex has a chance to take over.

This can apply to so many areas of your life. Here are just some examples of “instinct” urges you might feel:

• Walking to the kitchen to prep tomorrow’s meals
• Shutting down social media when you see something that triggers negative thoughts about yourself
• Lacing up your shoes after work to go for a walk or jog

This can lead to LIFE-CHANGING results now and into the future!

The more direct action you take toward your goals, the more successes you’ll notice in life.

Pretty exciting, right?

Not sugar coating it: the first few times you implement the 5-second rule it may seem painful. You might be feeling really comfy on the couch, in the middle of a Netflix binge, when all of a sudden you think about a chore you’ve been putting off or that you really should be working out. The last thing you’re going to want to do is get up and actually DO it.

Just count backwards from 5…and do it anyway. 🙂

You can always go back to the couch afterward, right?

Committed to Your Success,

Jessica + Team Valeo

REFERENCE:
https://melrobbins.com/5-second-rule-hack-science-explained