Page 77 - The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

raised yet again.

Alice in England needs to push herself out the door to go on a run. She’s
inspired by her friend on Facebook, but feels discouraged by how long it’s been since
she last exercised.

Halfway around the world, Patel can’t stop thinking about a friend whose son
just died in a car accident. He doesn’t know what to say, and the thought of losing
his own son terrifies him. He tells himself, It will be easier if I wait a few days, but the
urge to pick up the phone, stop by the house…to do something lingers.

In China, Sy has just signed on as a distributor for a new skin care line. She has
at least a dozen people she wants to call. She looks at her phone and hesitates—
what if they think I’m being pushy?

In Queensland, Australia, Todd knows exactly what he wants to do with his life,
and it isn’t studying law, it’s physical education. But before Todd can take control of
his future, he’ll need to face his parents’ disappointment.

And Mark is lying in bed in Auckland, Australia, where it’s 10:30 p.m. He turns
and looks at his wife as she reads her book. He would love to make love to her, but
he assumes she’s not in the mood; he wants to lean over and kiss her shoulder but
he fears rejection. He needs courage to lean toward her after so many months of
feeling like her roommate.

These stories are real and they are just the tip of the iceberg. They highlight the
struggle between our desire to change our lives and our fear of it. They also reveal
the power that everyday courage has to transform everything.

Seth Godin once wrote “a different part of our brains is activated when we
think about what’s possible rather than what’s required.” I believe the same is true
when we think about being courageous, rather than focusing on the fears that stop