Page 224 - The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

Four years later, Todd was a senior in a dual major program split between Law
and Business. His heart was never in it. As Todd described in an email, that “little
voice” was constantly in the back of his head “silently” echoing. Why did he stay in
that major? Simple—his feelings. The thought of disappointing his parents
overwhelmed him. Every single day, he thought about withdrawing and going to a
different college to study Physical Education, but he felt paralyzed. Walking into the
Registrar’s Office and filling out paperwork is easy. Facing the disappointment of
your parents is soul-crushing.

For almost four years, Todd had wanted to withdraw, but he didn’t know how to
face his fears or his parents. The #5SecondRule is how he finally did it. Todd was
sitting in a LAWS5513 Lecture on Advanced Taxation Law when he realized that he
was “ready.”

As Todd put it:

“I can attest to you the dislike I had for such a program; I wanted to withdraw from the moment I started. But what is
perhaps, most disturbing about this entire situation is that I had literally allowed myself to study a degree up to the final
year before I decided I was entirely and completely done with hating my life!”

Todd could see the future:

“My parents would send me off to do my Masters and along I would go, living my life…for everyone, but me!”

He described the instinct to act and the five second decision that made it
happen.

“Just start. I need to withdraw. I gathered up my books and stood up in the middle of class and left.”

His body was shaking, but he was moving—straight to the Registrar’s Office,
where he unenrolled from the University. He then got in the car and drove two
hours south of Brisbane to The Queensland University of Technology, where he
applied for the degree of his dreams.