Want to know a way to eliminate the need for motivation to get things accomplished- or just to start out on something?

Last year I read “The 5 Second Rule” by Mel Robbins.

The idea is, most of us hesitate right when we’re about to do something courageous…then the excuses and justifications come into our brains as to why we should NOT do this thing.

It could be a trip you’ve always wanted to take. Or signing up for a class, or asking someone a question you really want to know the answer to…or singing up for a race!

Or starting your swim training. 🙂

There’s this little voice that can sabotage our best intentions. It’s not a bad thing- it’s there to protect us from danger.

But it often goes overboard, and gets overprotective!

So the 5 second rule is simply this: when you are faced with something that you want to do, that you KNOW you want, that you even NEED to do, just count down from 5, and act on 1.

For example, if your alarm goes off at 5:30 for your morning workout, instead of thinking about all the reasons why staying in your warm bed would be “better”, just hear the alarm, turn it OFF, and count: 5, 4, 3, 2…UP!

Out of bed and into your running shoes. 🙂

If you lay in bed and start thinking about getting in a cold pool, 9 times out of 10, you will hit the snooze button and miss your workout or whatever you had planned. (anyway, science shows hitting the snooze button is actually bad for your health, worse than missing out on sleep!)

When you’re standing on the pool deck and don’t want to get in? 5, 4, 3, 2, JUMP!

When you’re considering upping the challenge and entering a longer race?

5, 4, 3, 2, SUBMIT!

When you’re waiting in line and getting impatient and annoyed?

5, 4, 3, 2, BREATHE!

Whatever it is, the 5 second rule can be applied to replace the need to get motivated first, then do the thing you wanted to do anyway. Try it out this week!