The Power of 5 Minutes

Consistency is the key to self-improvement. Small progress over time will turn into huge progress. Even knowing this, it is still hard for me to get completely locked in every day and get the habit going.

What is going on in my head?

Take going to the gym for example, I know it takes at least 1.5hr a day, 3 days a week to get bulk. This makes me avoid going to the gym, because all I can think of is the amount of suffer and time spent there.

And then I met this video in reference that gave me a chill.

A good habit only takes 5 minutes a day.

All good things takes years, so you have to break them down into things you can do that contribute to your goals. If you can break it down to less than 1 hour per day, you might as well just think about the first few minutes of the action.

I have come to realize that it is often the first 5 minutes that really give you the improvement you need. If something can be done in 5 minutes, I can do it with no pressure even if I’m very busy. If something takes 1 hour, I still need to get through the first 5 minutes, so it doesn’t actually decrease my time spent on long sessions. Moreover, 5 minutes of doing something requires much less recovery time than 1 hour, so it almost always guarantees that you will be able to do it tomorrow.

Lastly, you can actually get small improvements or training if you really focus during those 5 minutes. If you want to bulk up, 5 minutes is enough for a lot of push-ups and pull-ups. If you want to read a book, 5 minutes is enough for 1 page of reading. There is so much progress in 5 minutes if we look at it over months — or even years.

Conclusion

The hardest step is often the first step. The 5-minute mindset can help me get into the action I need to take to achieve what I truly want. I hope this helps you keep your momentum!

A Question for you: Some people prefer two minutes to five, so it may vary from person to person. How many minutes make a good starting action for you?

Reference

Youtube: James Clear getting interviewed by podcaster Neal and Toby.