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  • The 5 Second Rule

  • Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage
  • Written by: Mel Robbins
  • Narrated by: Mel Robbins
  • Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (3,267 ratings)

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The 5 Second Rule

Written by: Mel Robbins
Narrated by: Mel Robbins
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Publisher's Summary

How to enrich your life and destroy doubt in five seconds.

Throughout your life, you've had parents, coaches, teachers, friends, and mentors who have pushed you to be better than your excuses and bigger than your fears. What if the secret to having the confidence and courage to enrich your life and work is simply knowing how to push yourself?

Using the science of habits, riveting stories, and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art, and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a "push moment". Then, she'll give you one simple tool you can use to become your greatest self.

It takes just five seconds to use this tool, and every time you do you'll be in great company. More than eight million people have watched Mel's TEDx Talk, and executives inside of the world's largest brands are using the tool to increase productivity, collaboration, and engagement.

In The 5 Second Rule, you'll discover it takes just five seconds to:

  • Become confident
  • Break the habit of procrastination and self-doubt
  • Beat fear and uncertainty
  • Stop worrying and feel happier
  • Share your ideas with courage

The 5 Second Rule is a simple, one-size-fits-all solution for the one problem we all face - we hold ourselves back.

The secret isn't knowing what to do - it's knowing how to make yourself do it.

©2017 Mel Robbins (P)2017 Mel Robbins

What listeners say about The 5 Second Rule

Average Customer Ratings
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    1 out of 5 stars

Could have been a twenty minute book

Mel is a master narrator with great persuasion skills. However, that is all this is. She sounds so sure of herself, so convincing that she knows the science, but she doesn't. For instance, her report on the sleep research if not just a bit wrong, but almost completely wrong.

This book has one somewhat interesting idea in it, that is it. One short chapter would have covered it, the rest is pure filler and often incorrect.

72 people found this helpful

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The 5SR is forgettable but its not Mel's fault

I'm a physician and a neuroscientist, so I was interested in the science behind the book. There's a bit, but not enough to satisfy me. Mel often refers to activating the prefrontal cortex, which the 5SR likely does, but I am used to a much more detailed explanation of why the PFC is activated. My guess would be that the 5SR is much more likely to DE-activate the default mode network of the brain rather than energize the prefrontal cortex, but I'm a neuroscientist and Mel is not. I would have liked more neuroscience, and god knows the book could have used more substance. Take out some of the countless personal stories/infomercials and give me more science. You had lots of room Mel. Not scientific journal-level of detail, but a little more detailed than was mentioned in the book would have been nice.

I don't remember being engaged by the science behind the 5SR. But I do believe the 5SR process is sound, IF you commit to using it. While I was reading the book I used the 5SR quite a bit and it DID help me get going on some tasks, (and make me aware of how much I was procrastinating!) and I can see how and why it would be helpful, again, IF you commit to it. I finished the book about 4 weeks ago and the 5SR has faded significantly from my daily life. I do think old habits are hard to break and the unconscious mind WANTS to stay in those old habits, so my guess is for many people it won't work because the mind wont allow you to use it. The brain and mind has many protective strategies that we arent even aware of, and if it detects that the 5SR could put us in danger, it will conveniently and insidiously fade from our awareness. Indeed while I was reading it I talked to about 10 people who had read the 5SR in their past, and all said the same thing, it did seem to really help them while they read the book, but none of them were using it with any consistency a month or two later. My guess is that is why the book is so repetitive, giving example after example after example of those it really HAS worked for.

So, if you use it, it will work, especially with avoiding procrastination. But my instinct as a neuroscientist and medical doc is that your own Ego likes its dysfunction and unless you are very consciously committed the 5SR it will likely fade over a short time. But for those it works for, it may well change their lives...

I really like Mel, and I appreciate anyone who has turned their life around and tries to help others. So Mel, have me on your show and we can talk neuroscience...

46 people found this helpful

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Could be written in a single chapter.

The message could be delivered in under 100 words. 50% personal story telling. 45% unnecessary fluff. 5% useful.

38 people found this helpful

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Mixed results

The author really does a great job at narrating her book. It's the kind of performance you wished every audio book was like. She's not just reading word for word but really she's telling a story.

The content itself is mostly good, but she's repeating the same thing several times, in almost the same words. At some point I felt like she was talking to a child. There's nothing hard to understand here. I usually listen to my audio books twice back to back because I know I missed some details. Listening once for this book will be enough.

26 people found this helpful

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Alot of fluff but had some really great concepts

Needs more application, homework you can actually do and less success stories. but overall helped

26 people found this helpful

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Good core concept, but Mel ruined it.

Maybe ruin is harsh, I liked the concept, and sure she dragged it out... but so much she self-appreciates herself, taking many opportunities to say how she and other say she is all that. You can always tell she is reading a story and not just speaking because it actually sounds humble. Also, she generalizes, saying if you get an impulse that you want, don’t think, just count and do it... well in many scenarios that is a horrible idea (ie. Criminal acts). That aside, it’s my main point that bugged me, that and that she spend a whole chapter talking about how she just finished this course which is the real one that will change your life... like seriously, I bought this one, don’t spend twenty minutes selling me something else! With a few changes this could have been much better, but instead it made me want to steer clear of this author.

19 people found this helpful

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I am inspired

What a beautiful person to share a simple concept that can change the way we think in five seconds.
I loved all the emails Mel read, they were truly inspiring.
I am so excited to take on the five second rule to change in me what don't like and enhance in me what do like.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is questioning their life or anyone needing a boost (and we all do).
By the way, I have never written a review and I read at least one book a week. What did I do, I 54321 go and wrote the review.
Enjoy the book, read Iit or listen and then read or listen till it is burned in your mind. Yo will not regret it,

12 people found this helpful

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5% killer, 95% filler.

Get to the point already.
This could have been presented in a single chapter. I now know way too much about her life, which was the real focus of this book.
I skimmed through and finally found out what the rule actually was.
Don't waste your time.

6 people found this helpful

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Long-winded, Repetitive and Empty

Listening to the first hour was like listen to an infomercial ad. The author goes on and on about how good her 5 second rule is and how it's transformer so many lives. I found it to be desperate and off-putting right from the start.

I gave it another hour to listen to her story and some of the "science" behind it all but her words are just so cliché and don't provoke any thinking or feelings. It's like listening to an aunt brag about her winning at bingo or something. I just don't care. I tried listening at 1.5x to get through it but I just can't do it.

I bought it for the impressively high rating. I'm not sure if these are fake or if people really just like to be told recycled and bad story telling.

I can't remember a book I disliked as much as this one.

5 people found this helpful

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5 4 3 2 1 BLAST OFF!!!

This book is no BULLSHIT. Mel tells you exactly how it is and exactly what to do to attain greatness.

4 people found this helpful

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  • Zac
  • 2017-04-08

I turned it off after an hour.

It's a great tool. 54321 GO! It really does hijack your brain momentarily and get you moving.
However, the book is FULL of fluff. Her reading feedback from her fans about how they've used the '5 second rule' to make changes, over and over and over and over and over again is not my idea of a 'book'. It's a 'Ra Ra' rally and a waste of my time. In the end I found it annoying. The tool however does work to defeat procrastination. You can probably find a blog post or a TEDx talk somewhere that will give you all you need.

1,940 people found this helpful

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  • Carolina
  • 2017-04-09

Disappointing

After the first five minutes you don't need to continue. The rest is just examples to support this idea. I feel I wasted my credit this month

974 people found this helpful

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  • andrew
  • 2017-05-12

Would have been better as a motivational poster

I tried to listen to as much as this book as I could stomach, but there was just no substance. It was the same exact statement reworded over and over again a million different ways. On top of that the author likes to laugh at her quirks, at odd times.

As I'm trying to listen to it right now, the book is telling me, again, how the rule will help me, without specifying anything else about this rule. There are "volumes and volumes of research proving that it works," which aren't cited.

I would suggest skipping over this book, because the entire book is the author counting down from 5, over and over and over with fluff in between

625 people found this helpful

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  • L.lasso
  • 2017-03-08

Go

I just did the 54321 seconds rule, I'm writing a review...this alone is frightening for me. I think it's because deep down I always want to write, what I think and feel, but I never bother because I thought about it to much . It's simple and a small start will do, I just did. Thanks to Mel Robbins, I have re-connected within my self to force myself the "GO" push using her 54321. I recommend it to anyone, who desperately wants a change and a chance to find them self again. I totally love her tone of voice and stories she use to demonstrate her point across. The message is so clear, that I'm so glad I was listening. I hope you find my review useful, but most of all, that you find yourself doing the 54321, now Go!

443 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • GDiosdadoE
  • 2017-07-01

unnecessarily long

it is a nice and useful rule, but I think the amount of chapters is too much for the same... it just keeps repeating the same over and over again

437 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2017-04-04

Good concept but couldn't relate

They tell a bunch of stories of other people and the story is said over about 20 min per person and then says the one little instance they used the 5 second rule. It's a book with tons of filler and not much substance

415 people found this helpful

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  • A. Yoshida
  • 2018-04-02

Count down 5,4,3,2,1... and do it

The 5-second rule is the moment you have an instinct to act on a goal, count down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and physically move (or your brain will stop you with an excuse). This starting ritual will help to change many of your behaviors. There are 5-second moments all day long - wake up early, exercise, clean up, organize files, pay the bills, do the laundry, don't have that drink, don't smoke, update your resume, and speak up in a meeting. These are all simple actions that can be done (and you probably had these thoughts a hundred times already). Count 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... do it. This is a better alternative to sitting there and worrying or complaining about it. There is no right time or the feeling of being ready; just count down and do it.

There isn't anything earth-shattering about this advice. If you tried it and it does work for you, read the book to stay motivated and be inspired by stories of other people who have changed their lives.

350 people found this helpful

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  • Jessica Painter
  • 2020-02-10

Just watch the Ted Talk

I barely got through half of this book, and I decided that I couldn’t move forward. I found it very repetitive and not extremely helpful. Just watch the Ted Talk that inspired this book, implement and move forward with your life.

300 people found this helpful

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  • Pablo Hanuszkiewicz
  • 2017-04-22

Simple and extremely powerful!

So I have about 190 Audible books in my library and this is my first full review. While there are so many books telling you what we can do to achieve greatness, this book provides a tool that truly works. I first tried it to get up in the morning to workout, and I literally was able because of this simple yet powerful tool. I highly recommend this to anyone who overthinks things and ends up not taking action. Thank you Mel, I will be passing this along.

293 people found this helpful

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  • Jessica
  • 2018-01-30

Good concept but really annoying to hear her talk

Would you try another book from Mel Robbins and/or Mel Robbins?

I found her 5 second rule from a Youtube video of her talking about it and I applied it to waking up early. It was the only self help trick that actually gave me immediate results and I was so happy that I beat my habit of waking up late for years. Naturally I thought maybe this book would as inspiring. It is not. I've managed to force myself to listen up to Chapter 12 and find her very annoying after about the first hour of listening. The book is filled with examples of how her listeners have used this rule and not much about the science behind it or how you can apply it to yourself..and if I have to hear her say "5 4 3 2 1" again, I'll shoot myself. Basically there's a lot of fluff and little substance. I believe her main points can be summarized in an article and that a book was not necessary. I haven't gained much from it than what I already know from a quick video that she's done explaining the rule. I found the way she talked really annoying and I don't know how to explain it other than she doesn't sound humble. She sounds like someone that would talk way too much about herself if you had to talk to her in real life.

193 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2019-08-24

Good audio, poor content

This book is very repetitive. The rule is nice and there are few good tips but overall it feels quite empty.

2 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2019-06-05

Lecture peu agréable

De bonnes idées dans le livre qui est mine de rien intéressant mais très répétitif et aussi une manière pour l'auteur de s'envoyer beaucoup de fleurs et de s'approprier une idée commune bien qu'efficace comme étant son invention personnelle.
J'ai trouvé la narration presque insupportable mais ça dépend des goûts de chacun, essayez avec l'extrait.

2 people found this helpful

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  • Claire l
  • 2019-03-06

1...5... Put a name on something

Generally I like this book. But it's seem like a mix with miracle morning. I don't know which one came first. I don't like the idea of putting a name on something that so many people already use everyday and said that it's MY invention I got this idea. Well it's good to share but you do not create this!

1 person found this helpful

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  • Suzy
  • 2018-11-04

Excellent

Pour celles et ceux qui pratiquent l'anglais, je recommande ce livre . Il est tellement bon que je n'ai pas vu les 7h36mn passer !

1 person found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2018-10-01

A Must-read Book !

She gets into great details that make everything relevant. It helps me a lot to stop being driven by fear ! I recommand it to anyone !

1 person found this helpful

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  • Catherine
  • 2023-05-20

Great book

Mel’s voice made the book looks extraordinary and it is ! I hope you enjoy it like i did

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  • sarina
  • 2023-05-15

Worth it !

So lucky to hear this in Mel’s beautiful voice ! Thank you for sharing something as simple and convincing

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Monika Pugalenthi
  • 2023-05-11

Very repetitive

I didn't learn anything new. It is very repetitive and boring. I wouldn't recommend this book.

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  • Client d'Amazon
  • 2022-01-13

One of the best book I've read

I laughed, I had tears to the eyes! I apply it to my life

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Claire
  • 2021-09-28

Escaping the dementors !

Just one word : lifesaving. THANK YOU so much Mel, and thank you for making me go back to courage, so back to the control of MY life, and so back to work to create my dreams. Like NO other personal/inspirational books I've ever read (and I've read a lot :) and rhe reading , by Mel, makes you on fire. Thank you.