The next time you’re ready to give up and throw in the towel – remember these two words: “Five more.” That’s the advice of behavioral scientist Daniel Pink. He says, when a task feels too big or hard, your brain starts shutting down. You’re thinking about the entire project – or all 13 miles in a half-marathon. But the key to staying on track is to shrink your goal down into bite-sized pieces. So instead of thinking, “I have to finish this report by the end of the day. I don’t know if I can do it.” Say “five more.”
· If you’re drowning in emails – answer 5 more.
· If you’re struggling on a run – run for 5 more minutes.
· If you’re working your way through a huge report – do 5 more pages.
That tricks your brain into pushing forward without feeling overwhelmed and like it’s impossible. And most of the time, 5 more turns into 10 more. You’ll get back your momentum. And even if you don’t, you’ve still made more progress than you thought you could. Because tackling a big goal one step at a time helps your brain perceive the task as manageable, which reduces stress and increases your motivation.
The next time you’re ready to quit — don’t. Just say: Five more.
