One of the goals of The 5 Second Rule is to motivate readers to become more proactive in their daily lives so that they can find fulfillment and achieve success. However, since these are long-term goals that often involve significant changes in daily routines or habits, Robbins breaks the process down into manageable steps, the most crucial of which is to build everyday courage. This is especially crucial for people who are anxious or passive and who prefer to put off doing important daily tasks. Robbins first offers a scientific explanation for why people avoid doing simple things that they logically know will help improve their lives and then provides a remedy to change this.

Robbins defines everyday courage as a person’s ability to be proactive about accomplishing things that are beneficial to their well-being. These things are often very small tasks, such as waking up on time or speaking up at a meeting, but they also take considerable self-discipline to do regularly. Robbins herself was in a rut and could not find the motivation to complete her daily tasks after her husband’s business failed. She would procrastinate on things she knew would benefit herself and her family.