5-Seconds can Literally Change Your Life
“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
– Stephen King
Many a time we find ourselves at a juncture, where we are not really keen on going ahead. We are either very happy with our lives or are in search of something, a little push maybe that will enable us to step up and do something.
That something is called motivation.
People say they are almost there and one more step and they will be there. One step away. Motivation, inspiration, a little push are just some of the alibis people use and sometimes the wait for it lasts an entire lifetime.
Different strokes
With different minds, come different mindsets and a whole new set of ideologies. You’ll find people advocating the importance of motivation and the different sources to acquire it from. And then there are people like Mel Robbins, who have destroyed the concept in less than 5 words. “Motivation is garbage” is all she said and for some reason, I agreed to the fullest.
Grey Matters
The human mind is often the reason we step back or try and run away from the realms of responsibilities or from trying to do something new. “We are not designed to do things that are dangerous. Our minds are designed to stop us”, says Robbins and that’s exactly when we blame motivation or the lack of it. Stop the mind that tries to stop you. Don’t wait for things change and try and be the change.
Defining Times
Sometimes you’re just a moment away from something very different in totality. But it’s your reaction to that moment that defines your times, your present as well as future. “Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage — 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery and I promise you something great will come of it”. So be prepared for something like that as it can totally change the course and discourse of your life.
Take Control
Be the master as well as the slave who toils. Take control, of not just your actions but also of your life and don’t be dependent on anything that has the potential to take you down. As Robbins mentioned about the protective nature of our minds that stops us from trying something new, try and rise above it. Take control instead of being under control.
The 5-Second Rule
Mel Robbins describes her rule as a one-liner which goes like this, “If you have an impulse to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea.”
Yes, if you want to lose weight, act now, look up some diet tips and locate the nearest gym. If you have this business launching idea but are clueless about where to begin, go online, Google about similar companies and ideas.
Therein begins your research and learning phase. By doing so you force yourself to be serious and have a clear understanding of the intentions and the priorities. Rather than beating about the bush and pondering on your next course of action, you do something instantaneously.
Acting on impulse is desired because most of the time we give in to procrastination, which is the root of all laziness.
She is quite clear with her rule when she says, “Whatever your goals are, show the world, and yourself, that you’re serious by taking action, however insignificant that action may seem, RIGHT NOW. Because when you physically move, your brain starts to build new habits. When you do something you’re not used to doing, you are in the act of building new habits and erasing existing ones.”
The Five-Second Rule is a crucial trick for outsmarting your brain. Because your brain’s main job is to avoid trouble and risk, so in less than five seconds it will persuade you to abandon your idea. Take time to invest in yourself and your ideas.
Remember it is not just enough to have an idea but it is rather more important to think, plan and execute that idea. A simple change in habit changes your life drastically. As always, it is your life, your choices, learn to make them meaningful.
“You can’t control how you feel. But you can always choose how you act.” — Mel Robbins
