- Good morning, good Life friends.
There's a lot to do, but I don't really feel like doing it.
As a matter of fact
there was a moment this week when I didn't feel
like coming up with this video.
So how did it get done? (bell dinging)
How are you watching this right now?
The 2-Minute Rule, this is the ultimate super habit
of highly productive people.
It's the key to taking on any task,
and it's the unlock to all the habits
you're hoping to create,
and that to-do list you hope to cross off.
Before I show you how to use the 2-minute Rule
to step into every day and go after the life you want.
I have to tell you what it is, but again,
still don't feel like it.
So I'm going to let the real expert on this matter
fill you in.
- [James] A habit must be established
before it can be improved.
It has to be the normal, the standard in your life,
before you can expand or optimize it.
So often, we're focused on finding
the perfect business idea, the best workout program,
the ideal diet plan.
We're so focused on optimizing
that we don't give ourselves permission
to show up even if it's just in a small way.
And so if you can automate that first behavior
if you can knock down the lead domino,
then you can sort of determine the next chunk of time,
and the best way that I know to do that,
the best method that I have
is what I call the 2-Minute Rule.
You take whatever habit you're trying to build,
and you scale it down to something
that takes two minutes or less to do.
You scale it down to the first two minutes.
So do yoga four days a week becomes take out my yoga mat,
use the 2-Minute Rule, scale it down,
master the art of showing up, and then once you do that,
you have some raw material
that you can sort of work with and expand.
- Author James Clear shared this tip with me,
which he learned in the process
of writing his monster bestselling book, "Atomic Habits,'
and it got me thinking,
decisions are the biggest mental challenge
preventing us from getting things done.
So what if we could just make a blanket decision right now
to change the momentum of your life completely.
New Life Decision Alert. (bell dinging)
I can do anything for two minutes.
(footsteps thudding)
- Did you say two minutes? - No.
If we adopt this new life decision,
we can put it into practice immediately.
No, really like right now.
Even if you're procrastinating,
notice it, and then start the timer.
You can have two more minutes.
Go ahead, enjoy it. (upbeat music)
Time's up, what's next? (alarm ringing)
Find something that you know really only takes a few minutes
and make a game of it.
See if you can do it in two minutes or less.
Nice job.
Now we can try something a little harder.
Think about a priority task
that would contribute to one of your greater life goals.
One you probably haven't gotten around to yet,
because it just feels so big.
Agree to give it your undivided attention
for just two minutes.
That's it.
Research, plan, ideate, tidy up, whatever.
Make the decision, start the timer, go all in.
When the timer goes off, just check in, see how you feel.
Maybe you want to stop.
Maybe you don't mind continuing.
Make a new decision.
When someone comes into your office and sees you focused,
but also notices two ears that seem to be in working order,
inspiring them to begin speaking to you immediately.
- Babe babe! - Yeah.
- Babe! - Yeah.
- So listen to this, so- - Hold on just one second.
Let me make sure I can give you my undivided attention
for these two minutes. (clock dinging)
Now you're getting it.
It really is this easy (slow relaxing music)
to show up, be present,
and give something all of your attention
for just two minutes.
Now, if you're wondering what the heck
two minutes is going to do for you, I get it.
It's like, "Well, what is two minutes
really going to help me with
if I know it's not going to help me
get to the end of something I really wish was done?
But the whole point here is to help you with the start.
You are procrastinating on something,
because you don't want to think about it,
but actually you not wanting to think about it
is causing you to think about it a lot.
You're overthinking it,
and you're probably turning something
that is maybe a few minutes or a few hours,
no more than a few days,
you're turning it into something so big,
it's becoming months, years,
and compounding into something
that has passed you by through your life.
So we don't want to overthink,
we want to under-think
for the inappropriate moments of thinking,
like making a simple decision.
Make the decision that you can spend two minutes on anything
and you'll at least start.
You'll start so you can figure out if you should finish.
But most importantly, you're training your brain.
You're training your brain every time
you take something out of here and put it on paper
that you're beginning the process.
You're training your brain
whenever you agree to give something two minutes
that you can start and you can follow through.
And you're training your brain
when you cross things off your to-do list
that you can finish.
This is all practice, this is all brain training,
and it is possible for you to build an amazing life,
and have it only be a couple of minutes at a time
if you just don't overthink it.
In last week's video, which you guys loved.
Thank you so, so much for the feedback.
We talked about creating your map, a massive action plan.
If you need a focused list of priorities
to practice the 2-Minute Rule on,
check it out if you missed it.
Designing your map is a great way
to come up with a list of important things
to allocate your time toward.
Remember, you can do anything for two minutes,
and if you can do something for two minutes,
you can keep going.
If you enjoyed this video,
please click the like button and let YouTube know.
And if you know someone who never seems to have the time
to make their desires happen,
or just doesn't ever feel like it,
copy the link to this video below,
and send it to them in a text.
It only takes two minutes to potentially change a life.
That's all for today.
Thank you so much for tuning in.
I appreciate it as always.
Remember, subscribe for good vibes,
kiss the ones you love, (lips smacking)
and go after the life you want. Cheers.
(test screen beeping) (uptempo whimsical music)
One more minute (laughs).
Can we speed this up?
(alarm ringing)
(Amy laughing)
That was the worst phone toss in history.
(cutlery clanking)
15 seconds.
Oh no (laughs).
This is not good.
I have so much to do still.
Yes, I cheated.
I can do anything for two minutes.
- Did you say two minutes? - No (laughs).
No, I need to be definitive in that.
(laughs) I'm sorry, okay.
- The anniversary of the moon landing in 1969.
- Yeah. - And Omega came out
with this really cool watch.
I was really, really interested in buying it.
- Oh (beeps), I didn't start the time (laughs).
We gotta do it one more time.
One more time, I'm sorry.
I forgot to use the other button (laughs).
Hold on, that was really good.
You're very good at this, I might hire you.