In 2011, Mel Robbins gave a TEDx talk that went viral. In 2017, she wrote The 5 Second Rule and turned it into a best-selling book.

The idea? Simple.

Count backwards—5-4-3-2-1—and act before your brain talks you out of it.

It was marketed as a breakthrough. Branded as her invention. Packaged for the masses.

And it works. I use it often in combination with this specific breathing hack. Win the moment, win the day.

But let’s be honest: It’s not new.

The Real Problem → Reinvention Without Attribution

Robbins is smart. She knows how to speak to procrastinators. She gave language to something that already existed in psychology, in therapy, and in elite training circles for decades.

What she branded as new is actually rooted in:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Disruption of negative thought loops by inserting a physical or mental pattern interrupt.
• Grounding & Rumination Disruption: The “5-4-3-2-1 technique” for anxiety and sensory grounding.
• Military Applications: The CIA and Navy SEALs have long trained operatives in “trigger and move” protocols—fast mental resets to override hesitation, fear, and indecision.

So no—Mel Robbins didn’t “discover” the rule. She popularized it. And she did that very well.

But here’s what matters MUCH more than the origin: If and how you use it.

Why This Matters More Than Ever (Especially with AI in Play)

AI is accelerating everything. Ideas. Execution. Feedback. Decisions.

But the ability to act decisively—especially when uncomfortable—still belongs to humans. And hesitation still kills momentum faster than bad data.

Also, the increase in access to information creates greater cognitive overload. Knowledge without movement creates overwhelm. The more we know, the easier it is to delay what we already know to do.

Whether you’re writing a pitch, having a hard conversation, or getting out of bed to face the thing you’ve been avoiding or feel overwhelmed by —

You need a switch. You need a way to interrupt the spiral and move forward.

The Real Power of the 5-Second Rule

The reason the rule works is because it tricks your prefrontal cortex into focusing on movement instead of fear.

It gives your brain something to do before it has time to talk you out of doing it.

It’s the same reason soldiers train decision drills. Why therapists teach grounding. Why athletes rehearse fast resets.

It’s not magic. It’s pattern interruption + initiation reflex.

It’s action over analysis.

Use This → 3 Situations Where the 5-Second Rule Still Works

1. Micro-Moment Resistance: You’re about to avoid sending the email, making the call, or walking into the room. Count down. Step forward. Hit send.
2. Sleep Sabotage: You wake up. You want to roll over. Count 5-4-3-2-1 and stand up before your excuses wake up too.
3. Emotional Spiral: You’re ruminating. Overthinking. Doubting. Count down. Shift your body. Name 5 things you can see or hear. Snap back.

Your Challenge → Don’t Dismiss It. Use It Right.

This week, don’t roll your eyes at simple tools. Use them. I know of ZERO successful people who don’t struggle at some level with this. Maybe they struggle at a higher level, but inertia and resistance is real for all of us.

Because wisdom isn’t about novelty—it’s about timing, leverage, and repetition.

When you feel hesitation creeping in, try it.

5-4-3-2-1 Go.

Try it this week. And if you already use a better mental reset—drop it in the comments. I want to hear what’s working for you.

See you next Saturday.