THE 5-SECOND WINDOW THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
For the moment when your heart says “Go” and your brain says “No.”
This Week’s Courage Newsletter
Quote: “In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or step back into safety.” - Abraham Maslow
Big Idea: You have exactly 5 seconds to act on courage before your brain talks you out of it.
Challenge: The 5-Second Action
Bottom Line: Your life is decided in the gap between impulse and overthinking.
Dear Courageous Soul,
I watched it happen in real time at a conference last week in Cleveland.
A woman stood ten feet away from a speaker she clearly admired. You could see her wrestling with herself - stepping forward, then back, checking her phone, adjusting her bag. The classic dance of “should I or shouldn’t I?”
For a full minute, she stayed frozen in that space between wanting and doing.
Then something shifted. Her shoulders straightened. She walked directly over before she could stop herself.
“Your work changed my life. Thank you.”
Seven words. The speaker’s eyes filled with tears. They talked for twenty minutes. What started as a five-second decision became a mentorship that’s still ongoing.
That woman discovered what neuroscience has proven: You have a 5-second window to act on courage before your brain’s emergency brake system kicks in.
The 5-Second Window
Mel Robbins’ research reveals something profound about how our minds work against us. When you have an impulse to do something brave - speak up, reach out, take action - your prefrontal cortex (the worry center of your brain) has about 5 seconds before it floods you with every reason to stay safe.
It’s not laziness. It’s not procrastination. It’s neurological sabotage.
Your brain literally conspires against your courage, and it only needs 5 seconds to win.
Think about the last time you felt that spark:
“I should introduce myself to that person”
“I should speak up in this meeting”
“I should send that text I’ve been drafting”
“I should apply for that opportunity”
What happened between feeling the impulse and taking action? If you’re like most people, you started thinking. And thinking led to overthinking. And overthinking led to talking yourself out of it entirely.
Check out Mel talking about her “5 Second Rule”
Check out Mel talking about her “5 Second Rule.”
My Own 5-Second Story
During a Scare Your Soul body positivity photo shoot, I stood before a camera wearing nothing but my insecurities. Every cell in my body screamed “RUN!”
My brain offered its usual buffet of excuses:
Too old
Too pale
Too much belly
Too many people will judge
In that moment, I had two choices: Listen to the chorus of “not good enough” or move before it got louder.
5... 4... 3... 2... 1...
I dropped my robe and stepped into the frame.
Terrifying? Absolutely.
Liberating? Beyond words.
The photo became one of my favorites - not because I look like a model, but because I look like a human who chose courage over comfort in real time.
Here’s the thing about those 5 seconds: They’re not about becoming fearless. They’re about becoming faster than your fear.
This Week’s Scare Your Soul Challenge:
The 5-Second Rebellion
Here’s what I want you to try this week:
The next time you feel an impulse to do something brave, start counting backward from 5. On “1,” you move.
No planning. No perfecting. No checking with anyone else. Just movement toward the thing that scared you.
Start small:
Give the compliment you’re thinking
Ask the question in the meeting
Send the “I’ve been thinking about you” message
Introduce yourself to someone new
Share your idea before you polish it
The rules are simple:
When you feel the nudge, start counting: 5-4-3-2-1
On “1” you physically move toward the action
Do it messy, imperfect, human
The anti-rules:
Don’t wait to feel ready
Don’t perfect your words first
Don’t give yourself time to think
Why This Works
The 5-second countdown interrupts your brain’s sabotage pattern. Instead of giving your prefrontal cortex time to generate reasons why you shouldn’t act, you’re bypassing that system entirely.
You’re not becoming fearless. You’re becoming faster than your fear.
The people living the lives you admire aren’t braver than you. They’re just 5 seconds faster.
Your Mission
Do ONE thing this week within 5 seconds of feeling the impulse. Then email me what happened: scott@scareyoursoul.com
Use the subject line: “I didn’t wait”
Because here’s what I know: Your entire life is waiting in that gap between “maybe” and “now.”
Which one wins this week?
With courage and a stopwatch,
