October 28, 2022

5 * 5 Rule in Life Decisions - Will What Stresses Us Matter in 5 Years?

The 5*5 Rule And Its Importance in Crafting a Successful Life

The Rule to Get Focused

We live in a dynamic place, and multiple facets determine the ability to move and progress. Be it on a personal level, corporate, or community, making decisions is essential, especially when facing alternatives that can actively alter one’s life or business operations.

In this scope, we have the 5*5 Rule that, just like much available information, has been written about by different persons and found itself in conversions.

The central concept in the 5x5 Rule is that:

If you come across an issue take a moment to think whether or not it will matter in 5 years.
If it won’t, don’t spend more than 5 minutes stressing out about it.
Move.

And this applies not only in our lives but also in handling other associated issues. Hence, given the 5*5 Rule, when we encounter a situation, we have the option to check it and then decide on how much power we wish to give it.

If one has a problem, examining it from the 5x5 Rule perspective is essential in concluding what to do. Irrespective of the industry or an area of personal life, remembering this Rule will have significant implications.

One of the fundamental aspects of the 5x5 Rule is examining a situation and making a decision. There is no need to focus or worry about things or problems that do not have long-term implications for our lives. Instead, through evaluating a situation, make the right choice first and move on.

As humans, we have numerous options, yet there are limitations to realizing those options. One limitation we have is time. Therefore, given the need to do our best as we co-exist, it makes less sense to fret or worry about things that have lesser implications on our lives.

Thus, timely and efficient decision-making becomes vital in getting back on the path and realizing our future dreams when faced with options or alternatives.

How Do We Know It Will Matter

Now, one asks, since we have no power to foresee the future, how can one tell that something will not matter? One can examine the situation based on helpful information in such a case. Moreover, life brings us issues that vary in magnitude and impact.

The choice made in deciding about household essentials will differ much from decisions involving education matters. This makes analyzing a case from all perspectives instrumental.

Some ideas to follow include:

  • In what area of life does the decision affect?
  • How is the current case likely to affect other areas of my life?
  • Is there something making the current case or issues not matter in 5 years?
  • What are the options to solve or deal with the current situation?
  • Lastly, how does this case affect me and those within my domain?

Decisions have consequences. There is always that opportunity cost in every situation, as long as choosing one thing against the other. What matters is that at the end of it all, we can realize the benefits associated with our choices.

And in making a choice, it becomes imperative to consider those the situation might affect. In the end, if decisions harm others, care must be taken so that the guilt does not eventually impair our ability to enjoy the life of the decision we made due to the 5x5 Rule.

For example, the decisions we make can affect multiple people. It can be;

  • family
  • friends
  • fellow event goers
  • co-workers
  • business partners
  • founding partners
  • society as a whole

Not all situations need letting go. Yet, based on the 5x5 Rule, determining if the problem and its impact will still exist in 5 Years is the best approach.

Time is of Essence

Our energy is valuable. And so is the time we got, which in reality, is limited. In this scope, there is the need to think of time; similarly, we attach so much value to money. As much as there is an emphasis on investing and growing money, the realization that all these could not come to be without time is essential.

It becomes imperative that one values their time, and with the diverse activities that might come in life, putting effort into those that count becomes fundamental towards realizing our deeper goals.

As each day comes, issues and demands keep arising, and unfortunately, not all require the attention they tend to attract. By considering what matters, we can preselect those actions and problems to allocate more attention based on how essential and impactful they will be in the coming days.

With the 5 * 5 Rule, there is fixing the eyes on the long-term while deeply checking each daily element to influence the long-term benefits.

As time moves, we will have to check on ourselves to know if there are positive results upon spending time effectively. Through making an effort and allocating our time to things that matter, the desire is to have positive outcomes which can support previous efforts and dedication.

Trivial matters are many, and in their triviality is the fact that no reasonable outcomes can be seen. For example, taking the proper action is essential instead of getting angry, spending days upset about something or harboring negativity due to something within our power.

And if it can be changed, actively working toward the problem becomes useful. While external actions become hard to manage in some cases, being rational about the issue is essential.

In all this, what matters is not stressing about things for more than 5 minutes if by taking a closer look at them, in 5 years, they will not matter.

Facing a challenging situation or issue? Take a break, look at it, then politely ask:

“Will this issue matter in 5 Years from now? If YES, go for it; let it consume you and open your eyes towards solving it.

Else, let it pass. It will not define you in the next 5 Years.