The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confi… (2024)

I purchased this book because I was hopeful it would give me some tools to make decisions faster. Instead, The 5 Second Rule read like an elaborate advertisement. Pages and pages of testimonials of how the 5 Second Rule changed peoples lives. The reader is left to wonder how.

The idea is that we must make a decision in the first 5 seconds before our head gets too involved and the moment passes. This rule can be used to lose weight, build a business or get a relationship. The biggest issue people seem to have is getting out of bed in the morning. Indeed, the author suffered from this, laying in bed and hitting the snooze while her young children waited for breakfast to go to school. By the time Robbins got out of bed, she was late and so were children. So she gets the idea to launch herself out of bed and this changes her life.

I have to say I was extremely disappointed that this motivational speaker has written such a high-school book. Her writing style is simple and at times juvenile, and I don't appreciate being marketed to on every page. There is no practical use in this book other than make your decisions quickly before you have a chance to talk yourself out of it.

Genius. Save your money. I just told you the whole book.

I should have 5-4-3-2-1 and put the book in the trash, but I didn't. I finished this stupid book that is basically a long infomercial about nothing. Just watch the TED talk. Or don't. There's not much here.

Awesome self help book!! Mel Robbins book the 5 Second rule is another take on getting your shit together with many testimonials and great quotes. I saw her last year on ted talks and loved her approach to changing how your brain works and it really interested me so I picked up her book from the library. It was well done and I enjoyed reading how her 5 Second rule had changed so many people's lives. I will say that I love listening to her live because it isn't just what she says, it's her delivery that hooked me. Over all I enjoyed it and recommend reading,but also if you get the chance watch her ted talk or her talk show. I love both. Until next time luv's💖💋

Mel Robbins book has way too many testimonials. It goes in circles. Entire sections should be cut out. And you absolutely positively must read it.

I get the idea Mel Robbins was rushed to make this book after her wildly successful Ted Talk, and it's a prime example of why nonfiction books need to slim down. There is a reason Blinkist can summarize so many of them so succinctly into five pages. You can almost hear the publisher screaming through Mel Robbins's lessons to, "pad the page count! Copy and paste another testimonial! Make the physical book look like a good value!"

That said, Mel Robbins has content on her side. I have been applying her concepts to my day-to-day life after a serious spat with depression, and it has allowed me to completely turn myself around.

Her central ideas are fairly simple:

1. When you have a good idea to better yourself, do a "5...4...3...2...1..." countdown and get to it. If you give yourself any longer you will make an excuse and psyche yourself out. Once you start moving it's far more likely you'll get working.

2. You will never ever feel like doing anything to better yourself. Motivational speakers are largely full of it. You need to force yourself.

3. "Doing things that scare you actually make you more confident. If you have the courage to take action, your confidence will follow. Every time you push yourself to speak when you’re nervous, act when you’re afraid, or get to the gym when you don’t feel like it, you realize that you can rely on yourself to get anything done." -Mel Robbins

I can say with full confidence that these ideas are correct. I actually have a small learning "disability" which makes me understand subjects very slowly and not feel 90% of the embarrassment others feel. Growing up, I never understood why I succeeded when much smarter people stalled out. Now, I realize all the crucial moments in my career and personal life happened because I forced myself to act, even when I didn't have all the facts, even when failure was a likely option.

As I've gotten older, I've begun realizing my actions have consequences, and it's made me clam up. This had me stalling in my personal and professional development.

Reading this book got me back on track. I've also begun to understand that it is rooted in scientific study, although I wish Mel Robbins provided more info on this.

I've been reading a great deal on diet and exercise lately. What seemingly every expert agrees on is that humans are made to not move much or to just walk, and to overeat. If we ventured outside of our perimeter as prehistoric humans we got killed. We never knew where our next meal was coming from. Overeating allowed us to store fat deposits which we could use later while fasting.

Human nature is lazy and inherently selfish. The 5-Second Rule is the best book I've ever read about getting out of your head and into life.

The sections about anxiety reappraisal are especially fascinating. Be sure to get through some of the slower chapters to get to the analysis of anxiety disorders and how to conquer them. That text really helped me change my days.

Highly highly highly recommended.

كتاب ٢٠٠ صفحة طويل عريض معمول علشان يقولك لما تبقى عايز تعمل حاجة عد من خمسة لواحد وباقي الكتاب الكاتبة بتتكلم عن إنجازاتها مع الناس اللي عدوا من خمسة لواحد!

Sorry but I can’t recommend this one. It felt overly repetitive, and the testimonials were of no interest to me. I originally gave it a three, but I’m downgrading it to 2.5 because the only thing I’ve retained is that you must make the decision to act in the first five seconds.

I honestly can't think of a book that I have hated more than this book in quite some time. I listened to the audio version, and first off, the author is a horrible narrator. Her voice was like sandpaper to my ears. Secondly, I kept thinking of what the conversation with her publisher must have been like: "You have a good idea in this 5 second rule." Author: "Right, but that's pretty much it. It's a 1 minute explanation." Publisher: "Turn that minute into a long book and then we can sell it."

Honestly, the concept is simple and good for her for the concept, but to try and turn it into a book that people pay for is nonsense. I have never returned a book to Amazon before this one. Horrible.

The concept is super simple making it easy to grasp and use as an actual tool with everyday life.
It also helps intercept negative thought patterns and push away the pull towards procrastination. A motivating read all-around.

Such a bad book and waist of time. You want a spoiler?! Just count 5-4-3-2-1

أخيرًا خلص!
طبعًا لو الكتاب دا مكانش جالي هدية مكنتش هفكر أقرأه، ولو كنت سمعت عنه كنت هكتفي بإني أقرأ له ملخص.. محتوى الكتاب كله ينفع يتكتب في مقال واحد، المحتوى هو: لما تبقى عايز تعمل حاجة عد من ٥ لـ ١ وقوم اعملها.. بس كدا؟ آه والله خلاص كدا!
رغي كتير جدًا.. بتقول الفكرة وتعيد صياغتها خمستاشر مرة.. اللي قالته في أول الكتاب رجعت كررته في النص ثم أكدت عليه في الآخر.. ممكن لو عديت ٣٠ صفحة مثلًا متحسش إن فاتك حاجة! دا غير إن كل صفحة تقريبًا فيها بوست أو رسالة وصلتلها من حد طبق الفكرة ونجحت معاه وغيرت حياته تمامًا! توو ماتش تجارب ناجحة بصراحة.. حتى صياغة البوستات دي مستفزة، بتقولك فلان الفلاني من نيويورك كان عايز يعمل كذا وبعدين عد من خمسة لواحد ونجح! وبعدين تحط سكرين للبوست تاني! طيب يا أستاذة ميل ما حضرتك حكيتي التجربة خلاص؟ لا ازاي لازم نزود صفحات ونطبع ونبيع..
لا ينصح به أبدًا.. وتجربة متمناش إنها تتكرر.

This book is incredible. I don't have a lot of issues getting motivated, but we all get comfortable in our own ways. I'm so motivated and it's incredible how MOVED my body feels by the simple act of counting down from 5. I'm blown away!

As an idea and a 'science' the 5second rule is great - but as a book it's pretty atrocious. The book spends way to much of its time trying to sell you a product that you already bought! It keeps self congratulating itself on how brilliant it is, and how many people it has helped with however many variants of things. As this is a 'self help' type book, I was expecting a fair bit of this as it comes with the territory, but here there really was just no end to it.
By the time i had gotten halfway through my instinct was telling me to "5,4,3,2,1" and stop reading!

Some of the notes I gathered from this book :

The 5 second rule :
As stupid it sounds as great is it works.
Count backwards from 5 to 1 and do it.

5 seconds that could change your life by changing and making the decisions that matter without hesitation or fear.

Your fear what stops you from not doing what you want.
You validite your idea by doing it.
It takes courage to change a behaviour.

Yourself have the priority over others, so stop doing others’ work instead of doing yours.

Take a break from work and enjoy your self.

When you can’t make a move and stuck in the same loop or you have done a mistake you can’t forgive yourself or forget it:
1- stop and forgive yourself
2- ask your self: what would yourself wanted to be become?
3- get started

Instead of worrying, enjoy the moment because you will only live it once.
Think of something positive instead of worrying!
Here is how :

Reframing: (consider the opposite of what you are at that moment) + 5 second rule:

Plan A: If you are nervous or Worried say to your self and convince your brain that you are excited about what you gonna do!
Plan B : use 5 seconds rule.

Turn on your envy, jealousy and curiosity into a hoppy.

People may have expectations about you but at the end of the day it's your call
AND who really loves you wish you happiness.

There is no expire date of the treasures inside of you.

Leave nothing important unsaid.

There is nothing called the right time to do something , the right time is now.

This was an odd book. I cannot even imagine the author actually writing it. It sounds like she started speaking into a recorder without much of a plan and Voila! a book. While I can see some value in the concept, it would make a nice long article, or even a short one, rather than a whole book. Nevertheless, the author is sincere and likable and the concept is helpful.

This is definitely a great one, its concept is very sipmle.
In this book, Mel Robbins explains the simple way of the 5 second rule and shares some stories of people who applied it and witnessed the change it brought. There's no overwhelming motivation in here, the book only makes you face yourself and and admit that the only person standing in your way is you, not your condition, not your family or society, as human beings, we have that gift to ignore what's happening around us if we want something so bad, even if it's stupid or futile, but we always manage to find an excuse when it comes to achieve something we really long for. That's what this book is about, stop lying to yourself and start doing what really matters for you.

(((((((Update)))))))

Although it is so simple and sounds such a dumb but guess what ? it works like magic :D

هذا كتاب سيء
لأسباب كثيرة
أولاً لأنّه مضلل، ولأنّه قائم على فكرة بسيطة جداً لا تحتاج إلى تأليف كتاب من 300 صفحة
ثانياً لأنّه يبني من فكرة بسطية قصر من هواء دون أي خطوات عملية
ثالثاً لأنّ المؤلفة تقول إنّ هذا مثبت علمياً ولم تأتِ بأي دليل علمي محترم لكلامها
==
المؤلفة رأت مشهداً على التلفاز في يوم ما لصاروخ يستعد للانطلاق بعد العد لـ 5-4-3-2-1-0
فلمعت في رأسها فكرة أنّ هذا ما تحتاجه لحل كل مشكلاتها
فإذا أرادت الالتزام بأمر ما فعليها أن تعد عكسياً قبل البدء به
وإذا أردات الانصراف عن أمر فعلت الأمر نفسه
وهو ما يسمى في علم النفس ترك مسافة قصيرة بين الفعل وردة الفعل
هذا لبّ الكتاب والذي يمكن أن يُختصر بسطر واحد
باقي الكتاب كله حشو وقصص ورسائل خاصة من أشخاص تغيّرت حياتهم بسبب هذه القاعدة السحرية
هل يكذبون؟ لا أعتقد
هل هم حمقى؟ ربما
يكفيك أن تحضر لها هذه المحاضرة على منصة تيد ولا تتعنى شراء+قراءة الكتاب

https://www.ted.com/talks/mel_robbins...

The Power of Counting Down

Seth Godin says that he can read for a certain amount of time before "he gets the joke," or the gist of the book.

The gist of this book is counting down and acting is the key to everything. The concept is a good idea, but not worth the money paid for the book.

What's more, I purchased the book for the heck of it because there was a course on passion by the same author. I ordered it to see what the fuss was all about.

It reminds me to second guess Success magazine.

I am all for people making a living. If you can help others be better, that's great. Being a "successful coach" because you can count from 5 to 1 is...questionable to say the least.

If you're new to the game, get the book and have the tool in your arsenal. If you've heard the thousands of other success coaches doing close to the same shtick, you won't get much from the book.

Also, fair warning: at least half of the book is testament to how counting down works. It is mostly fluff and reinforcement of fluff by propping up fluff with fluff. Don't expect a deep discussion on the merits of the human mind and why counting is good.

A J.O.B. squad book - Pin me, pay me.

O čemu se radi?

Pravilo 5 sekundi znači da kad nešto treba da uradite izbrojite 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 i uradite to kako ne biste krenuli da previše razmišljate i time sebe sprečili. Moćno je jer neretko svi imamo neku vrstu nesigurnosti ili treme, te verujem da može da pomogne svakom u nekoj situaciji.

Kako je napisano?

Mel je ovde pokrenula neke bitne teme, ali kao da ih nije sasvim razradila. Dobar deo knjige su utisci njenih pratilaca sa društvenih mreža koji su izmenili svoje živote, dobrim delom ona priča i o svom životu, a slabo se spominje samo pravilo. Knjiga mi deluje delimično kao top shop reklama koja vas tera da isprobate pravilo 5 sekundi.

Sveukupni utisci: motivisala me je i počeću da primenjujem sam koncept, ali je realizacija knjige nešto slabija od same ideje. Mislim da je dovoljno da potražite govor autorke na Ted Talk-u ili da proguglate ovo pravilo umesto da kupujete knjigu.

Dizajn: naše korice su zapravo fino odrađene, a font nije previše sitan, tako da sam uspela brzo da pročitam, a i sama knjiga nije preterano duga mada bi suština mogla da se prepriča na mnogo manje strana.

I highly recommend the audiobook! It’s like Mel Robbins right beside you coaching you along! Can’t even tell she’s reading her book! I had read the book last year when it came out but didn’t get much out of it because my brother died about the same time. This book has been a one book intervention for my self-sabotage and procrastination. Go get the book. Don’t think about it. Don’t hesitate it. Let your new life of five second decision-making start today. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1.... Why are you still reading this! Buy the book already!

Very very repetitive, and I ended up speeding the audio to 2x for the last half. She could have given the same information in 1/10 of the time. I like the idea of the principle, it's just overly elaborated upon. I will try it out though and see if it helps with a few things, especially waking up before my kids.

Did I find her advice really useful? Not really. If I had to answer on the spot I'd say Mel Robbins comes from a good place but her suggestions are oversimplified and thinly based on science. And the book was very repetitive. But I did find her narration comforting, I consumed it in audiobook form and I had an enjoyable time listening to her talk. She feels like a genuine person and I deeply connected to her experience of suffering from crippling anxiety. Though she talked a looot about the snooze button and her inability to get up on time in the morning and that is not a problem I've ever had, ha ha. But I can see where she's coming from.

آخرین کتاب ۹۸،،خیلی وقت بود پی دی اف این کتاب رو روی گوشیم داشتم،اما واقعا برام جالب و اموزنده نبود.....برای همین خوندنش رو عقب انداختم تا دیروز که به خودم گفتم دیگه باید این چرخه ی تنبلی رو تموم کنم،،،خلاصه اینجوری بهتون بگم که انقدر حرفای تکراری و غیر ضروری زده بود که واقعا میشد توی ۱ساعت کل کتاب رو روخوانی کرد 🤷🏻‍♀️ایده ی شمارش معکوس ۵ثانیه جالبه اما متاسفانه دلیل اینهمه زیاده گویی و تکرار خانم مل رابینز رو نمیفهمم....دوستاره! صرفا چون ایده ی شمارش ۵ثانیه اش رو دوست داشتم.....
امیدوارم امسال سال خوبی باشه برامون...🌱✨🎊

It works if you work it... Life altering!

Mel really nailed this... I've read countless self-help and motivation books, I never would have thought something so seemingly simple would change things in my life this quickly. She's right... motivation is crap, I rarely "feel" like doing what needs done. If anyone is on the fence about picking up this book... Just buy it, you won't be disappointed!

There is a special place in book hell reserved for cash grab books like this.

The useful part can be summarised in one sentence:
When you decide to do something, count backwards from 5 in your head, and then force yourself to do it before your brain sabotages you.

Bam, I just saved you £8 and 260 pages of filler. You're welcome.

It says in 240 pages what could have been said in 1.

Stop what you're doing and read/listen to this book! It's a game-changer. It's paradigm-shifting. Yes, those are dramatic words, but it really is. I'm a therapist and a self-help junkie, so I've got a lot of things to compare it to. I've been using this technique and telling my clients about it - I'm just amazed at how much it's shifted for us already!

Plus, I do highly recommend the audio version because it's read by the author (I love it when books are), and she's so fantastic to listen to! Not necessarily because of her voice, but because it truly feels like she's just chatting with you. Yes, she's reading her book, but it is clear that she's also ad-libbing and making it completely natural. There are times where she'll mess up her words - and that wasn't edited out. I LOVE IT! There's something really refreshing about that in our world of editing to perfection.

I am going to re-listen to this book often as a reminder, and I will buy it digitally and in print. It's that important and I want to really get the practice of The Five Second Rule wired into my brain!

I loved Mel Robbins's various talks and interviews. She's an incredible presenter and storyteller, but the book is a blog article stretched into short book-form. Here's the entire content in one sentence:
if you have the impulse to act, count 5-4-3-2-1, and do it before your brain interferes.

That's it. The rest is filled with countless repetition and numerous examples of social media buddies whose lives allegedly have 'drastically' improved. I give this 3 stars because I love the speaker Mel Robbins.

Just watch her TED talk on youtube, that will sum up all the things she said in this book. Quite a waste of a time to read this while you can just grasp what the 5 second rule is in 10 mins. Somehow the rule did work for me, but not really that life changing, as you need a bigger picture i.e. a vision before moving your butt - which is of course not in the scope of her book.