The 5 Second Courage Booster For Business Owners

Alright friends, let me ask you something real quick: 

How many of you have ever had a moment where you knew you needed to do something for yourself or your business, but you hesitated and then didn’t do it? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve woken up early, and I could have easily jumped out of bed, hopped on my Peloton bike, or stretched out on my yoga mat and hit “play” for a yoga session. I have laid in bed and thought about it, and then totally talked myself out of it!  

There was a very small window of time when it would have been so easy to just take action, but instead… I hesitated and didn’t do it.  

Let’s put that into a business perspective. Maybe you were hanging out in your store, your warehouse, or in your office, and you had something to share, and it would have been super easy just to hit “Go LIVE,” but you didn’t. You had a window of opportunity, but hesitation took reigns, and you thought about it… but then the moment passed… and you moved on to something else.  

Maybe it was picking up the phone to make that call about getting your website built, or maybe it was sending out that email you thought about, or posting something on social media. And in that tiny pause… you talked yourself out of it.  

Today, I want to share a ridiculously simple tool that can help you overcome that hesitation and actually take action in the moment. It’s called the 5-Second Rule, and it’s from the incredible Mel Robbins. She gets all the credit for this game-changer! 

I’ve used the 5-Second Rule myself, and I’m going to share how you, as business owners, can apply it daily to create momentum. 

Here’s a personal story.  

There have been so many times when I thought about doing a pop-up live video or shooting a video for Reels or Stories. I’d have my notes ready, my ring light set up, and my finger would be hovering over the ‘Go Live’ button. Or, I’d have an incredibly inspirational thought in my head that I would really want to share. I’d open Facebook and hover my finger over that GO LIVE button… 

And then a voice in my head would show up: “What if nobody watches? What if I mess up? What if I look stupid? I don’t have any makeup on. My hair’s not done…” That voice would list off all kinds of reasons why I couldn’t or shouldn’t take the leap and just act. 

But, one day, I ignored the voice in my head. I just counted to five and did something I was terrified of while at the Olympic Park Village in Park City, UT. And then with that momentum, I counted to five again and posted a Reel of it! After that… I gained the momentum and the courage to start again with my live videos. And here I am again every week after two years off!  

That one messy, imperfect video started a chain reaction. Because I’d proven to myself I could do it, without waiting for the ‘perfect’ circumstances that one time, I encouraged to do it again, and again. That’s the power of the 5-Second Courage Rule. 

That 5-Second Rule gave me the confidence to buy the tickets and go down the Olympic ski hills. They don’t look so scary from the bottom, but as you start ascending the hill and look down, it’s terrifying if you haven’t done anything like that in a long time (which I hadn’t). At the top, I was freaking out! I was doing some fast-talking motivational speeches to myself, and I could have easily talked myself out of what I was about to do.  But when it came to my turn, I did the 5-Second Rule and stepped up! Scared as I was, I did it.  

And I’m so glad I did. I can’t tell you how great it felt! Well… I can, and if you go to my IG page, Consignment Marketing, you can hear my very messy message.  

The 5-Second Rule is also one of the strategies I’m using to finish up work on a major project that I have been dreaming about for 5 years. And I’m no longer dreaming of it, I’m finishing it up! No more procrastination. No more hesitation. I’ve spent money on training I needed to learn all the software and the how-to, and I’m taking that knowledge and applying it to do the thing. I now have a lead capture page, and I even learned how to program a Chatbot! By using the 5-Second Rule, I’ve bust down the doors of hesitation and launched myself way the heck out of my comfort zone! I’m so far outside my comfort zone I can’t even see it.  

I’m even hopping on my Peloton bike and spending more time on my yoga mat using the 5-Second Rule.  

So how does this apply to YOU, your life, and your business? 

The 5-Second Rule works because it interrupts procrastination. Your brain’s default wiring is to keep you safe and to keep you comfortable. Did you know that? Your brain is actually wired to talk you out of more things than talk you into doing them! It talks you out of anything that feels scary, uncomfortable, or new. The 5-Second Rule interrupts the pre-programmed wiring and starts to rewire your brain so that it’s okay to be uncomfortable, to get out of your comfort zone, and to do something new.  

Here’s how you use it: 

1. The second you have the instinct to take action, count down: 5-4-3-2-1. 

2.  At ‘1,’ MOVE!  Hit Go LIVE or dial the number, schedule the meeting, get on your bike, and go for a walk. Type the email. Create the content. Get strapped into the zip line. Get the website. Juice the celery. Do the thing… whatever it is… do it! 

Think about this: 

• Posting on Social Media: You think, “I should post that product photo.” Then you hesitate. Your brain says, “It’s not good enough; maybe later.” Instead, 5—4—3—2—1—snap the photo, write a caption, and post it. Remember last week’s message about doing it messy but just doing it? That applies. You can always go back and edit it later, but chances are you won’t, and chances are you won’t need to. Just post it!  

• Calling a Lead: You think, “I really need to call and get my website done.” Then you hesitate. Brain says, “Well, then I have to redo my intake system. Then I need to adjust my POS system.” Instead: 5-4-3-2-1—CALL and place your website build order.

  Then, 5-4-3-2-1—start adjusting your intake to allow for photos of items to go up on your website. Then, 5-4-3-2-1, order the backdrop for your new product photos.  

• Going Live: You think, “I should go live today.” Then you hesitate. Brain says, “I need better lighting, notes, clothes, better…everything.” Instead: 5-4-3-2-1—GO. 

What’s the difference between those who grow and those who stay stuck? The growers take action in those 5 seconds before the brain talks them out of it. 

It’s not about giant leaps.  

It’s about one small action taken in the moment. That one action builds momentum, and momentum builds confidence and leads to more actions. What do you get when you have a lot of small actions? You get significant results… that’s what! 

So here’s your big takeaway: 

👉 Success doesn’t come from waiting until you feel ready. Success comes from acting before your brain talks you out of it. 

The next time you catch yourself hesitating, count it down: 5-4-3-2-1… and move. 

Because the truth is, confidence doesn’t come before action—it comes AFTER. And the more you use this tool, the more unstoppable you’ll feel in your business and life. 

So, your challenge this week: Write down three things you’ve been procrastinating on. Put them where you’ll see them. And every time you hesitate? 5-4-3-2-1—do it anyway.

Want to watch the full video? Click here.