The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

The 5 Second Rule is primarily a self-help and motivational book that targets a general audience. Its main purpose is to give readers the push necessary to accomplish their goals by convincing them that the #5SecondRule is the most effective tool to get rid of their hesitation, push them toward action, and become proactive: The more people are convinced of the efficiency of the Rule, the more motivated they are to use it in their daily lives, and the higher the probability of their success. Robbins’s idea hinges upon her explaining why anyone can use the #5SecondRule, why such a simple trick works so well, and why it has such a widespread application.

Robbins uses scientific evidence and anecdotal evidence to lend credence to the Rule. She cites recent discoveries in psychology and cognitive science. Robbins explains that the Rule targets and then corrects known weaknesses of the human psyche that encourage people to choose passivity or procrastination instead of action. Robbins writes for a lay rather than scientific audience and does not attempt to explore in depth or critique the scientific theories she cites. Her main reason for citing scientific evidence is to lend weight to the effectiveness of the #5SecondRule.

Robbins makes ample use of anecdotal evidence from people who have applied the Rule to turn their lives around and tagged Robbins on social media. Robbins may use anecdotal evidence because readers are more likely to relate to social media posts from others like them. This may especially be the case for readers who have not yet found the motivation to change—seeing testimonies from others who are in a similar predicament may be more convincing and relatable than Robbins’s own story, as she has already achieved success.

Robbins selects a wide range of anecdotal evidence from people across the world and from every walk of life, perhaps so that readers can find a relatable story that speaks to them. These success stories often come from social media posts, which the audience have written themselves, often in an informal way. Coupled with the author’s own rise from a difficult place, these anecdotes may inspire readers to envision how they can also turn their lives around, from finding the motivation to hit the gym regularly, to waking up on time in the morning, to alleviating their anxieties, to finding fulfillment and happiness and achieving their goals. People often use the #5SecondRule hashtag to explain how the Rule has helped them correct bad habits; this directly links the Rule to each instance of success.

Anecdotal evidence is easy to collect and can be very diversified and convincing. However, it lacks scientific rigor and can be extremely subjective. Robbins attempts to address this by providing her own scientific evidence to explain why the #5SecondRule works.

The vast majority of Robbins’s anecdotal evidence comes from one single source: social media posts. They include only the successful cases. A potential critique is that they do not include failures and provide a one-sided picture of the Rule’s effectiveness.