Short motivational piece by Brian Johnson introducing an 'Optimus Countdown' inspired by Mel Robbins' five-second rule. Johnson describes a personal moment of hesitation before taking a cold shower and proposes a repeated countdown ritual—'5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Now what needs to be done?'—to overcome hesitation and repeatedly step into growth.
Chapters
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Optimize plus one. In our last plus one, we talked about Mel Robbins and her brilliant five second rule. When we know what we need to do, whether that's getting out of bed or going to the gym or staying offline or whatever, it's time to actually do what we know we need to do. Enter Optimus Countdown. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Blast off. AKA just do it. Today I want to share a little epiphany that hit me right before I stepped into a super cold shower. Right after I did a super hot infrared sauna. All of which might have been preceded by an Epsom salt bath while reading Optimizing for the Win. So I'm approaching what will be a freezing cold shower. Thinking about the book and how awesome it is. I step into the shower. It's time to turn on the cold water. And guess what? I hesitate. Although I follow this routine and take a cold shower every single time I get out of the sauna, like every other time I've done it, I didn't feel like it. Who wants to step into a stream of freezing cold water? And what popped into my mind? Well, Mel's launch code, of course. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Only I added another one of my favorite lines to it to make this nice little rhyme. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Now what needs to be done? That's today's plus one. If you feel so inspired when you feel yourself hesitating before doing what you know you need to do, when not if, by the way, whether that's working out or eating well or speaking up or shutting up, have fun launching into the next best version of yourself via our new little tool. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Now what needs to be done? If you feel really inspired, do it the second time you reach a choice point. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Now what needs to be done? And if you're ready to go all in, perhaps you can rock it the third time you find yourself hesitating today. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Now what needs to be done? Step forward into growth. Flip the switch. Close the gap between who you're capable of being and who you're actually being. Again and again and again. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Blast off.
