Note: This video and post come from one of my private Inner Circle coaching sessions. It originally included a workbook, which you can Click Here To Download.
The Rule of 5: How to Build Your Dreams, One Small Step at a Time
Ever feel like you know what you should be doing—but you just can't seem to get yourself to actually do it?
You're not alone. I show people the step-by-step ways to make money all the time... their problem is not taking consistent action.
That's where the "Rule of 5" comes in. And honestly? It changed my life.
Today, I want to share how this idea works and how you can use it to totally change your results in any area of your life—your finances, your health, your happiness—starting right now.
Let's dive in.
Why We Stay Stuck
Overwhelmed At A Wall
Jack Canfield, the author of The Success Principles and co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul, puts it simply:
"Don't worry about failures. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try."
The truth is, most people aren't failing. They're just not even trying.
Maybe it's fear. Maybe it's past experiences. Maybe it's needing the right system. But deep down, we end up protecting ourselves from disappointment by holding back.
And we stay stuck.
The way out? It's not "doing more." It's doing the right small things, every day, without fail.
That's the Rule of 5.
What Is the Rule of 5?
The Rule of 5 is simple: Every day, take 5 specific actions that move you closer to your big goal.
Doesn't matter how small they are. Doesn't matter if you "feel" like it.
Just 5 actions, every day.
Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen used this exact strategy to launch Chicken Soup for the Soul, which went on to sell over 500 million copies. They didn't get lucky. They didn't have connections. They just swung the axe—five times a day—every day.
Their "five swings" included:
- 5 radio interviews
- 5 copies sent to editors
- 5 calls to networks
- 5 books sent to celebrities
- 5 seminars to groups of 5+ people
Every. Single. Day.
It wasn't glamorous. It wasn't always exciting. But it worked.
Eventually, that "impossible" goal became reality.
Why It Works
When you have a big goal, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
There's so much information. And it take so long to go through it.
It's "analysis paralysis" at its finest. You don’t know where to start, so you never start at all.
Overwhelmed
But if you just commit to five actions a day, you bypass all that mental chaos. You focus on what you can do today. You build real momentum. You stay on purpose.
And just like chopping down a giant tree — five swings a day eventually bring it down.
It’s not about doing everything. It's about doing something, consistently.
Real Life Proof: Andrea's Story
This isn't just a "success tip." It's a real-life miracle maker.
After a devastating car accident, a woman named Andrea Fisher was left quadriplegic. Doctors told her she'd never walk again.
But Andrea set a huge goal: to walk out of the hospital on her own.
Every day, she took small, focused actions:
- She insisted on holistic nutrition.
- She got massages and chiropractic adjustments.
- She meditated and visualized herself walking.
- She worked through fear and frustration daily.
Seven years later, she walked out of that hospital on her own two feet.
Doctors called it a miracle. Andrea called it focused effort.
Imagine what you could do with that kind of daily commitment.
Maybe it won't take seven years. Maybe it’ll only take seven months. Or even seven weeks.
But it starts with today.
Building Your Own Rule of 5
Ready to get started?
Here’s how you can build your own Rule of 5 today:
- Pick a Clear Target.– What’s something you really want to do? More income? Better health? Start a side hustle?
- List Five Actions.– What are 5 things you can do today to move toward that goal? Make them simple and achievable.
- Write Them Down.– Use an index card, a sticky note, or your phone. Keep it visible.
- Check Them Off.– Every time you complete one, check it off. Feel that tiny surge of pride.
- Repeat Tomorrow.– Rinse and repeat. Five swings, every day.
That’s it.
Checklist
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to do it all at once.
You just need to swing the axe five times a day.
A Personal Note
When I first started using the Rule of 5, I had no clue if it would work. I just knew I didn’t want to give up on my dream.
So I made a commitment:
- 5 contacts a day.
- 5 content ideas a day.
- 5 emails a day.
- 5 outreach attempts a day.
- 5 minutes of focused visualization a day.
Some days it felt pointless. Some days it felt powerful.
But day by day, my life started to change. The "miracles" started to happen. Connections formed. Opportunities popped up. Little wins turned into big wins.
And it all traced back to one simple rule:
Five actions a day.
Closing Thought
Here’s the real secret:
"You don't have to get it perfect. You just have to get it going."
Most people are so focused on getting it "right" that they never actually start.
Don't let that be you.
Start today. Write down your 5 actions. Take the swings.
Because everything you want is waiting for you.
And the only thing standing between you and it… is the small daily decision to try.
You ready?
Pick up your axe.
Let's get swinging.