The High 5 Habit: Take Control of Your Life with One Simple Habit

Robbins argues that you can transform your relationship with yourself by implementing the high-five habit: Stand before your bathroom mirror each morning and give yourself a high-five. This simple gesture interrupts lifelong patterns of self-criticism because your brain has positive associations with high-fives, making it impossible to think negative thoughts while performing the action. Unlike affirmations that your mind might reject, the high-five bypasses cognitive resistance by triggering pre-existing positive neural pathways. For example, someone struggling with imposter syndrome could use this practice before important presentations, rewiring their self-talk from phrases like, “I’m not qualified,” to, “I can do this.” The key is consistency, so pair this ritual with your existing morning routine by anchoring it to a daily habit, like brushing your teeth. This will create what researchers call “habit stacking,” and it increases adherence.

As Robbins explains, your brain’s RAS filters what information enters awareness based on what you repeatedly focus on. Robbins suggests consciously redirecting it from threat-seeking to opportunity-spotting by deliberately practicing attention-training exercises. To prove her argument, she came up with the heart-finding exercise: Spend one week actively looking for naturally occurring heart shapes in your environment. This demonstrates how you can train your brain to notice what you previously overlooked.