How to create an epic lifestyle in 5 minutes a day

By Joe Elvin

March 17, 2016   •   Fact checked by Dumb Little Man

Would you like to have a life that’s so exciting it makes others envious? Do you wish you were that person who always had opportunities falling at his feet. The dude with dozens of awesome stories to tell at social events – and an Instagram feed filled with fun experiences. The man who makes living life to the fullest look effortless? Well, there’s only thing stopping you – an emotion completely under your control. Taking ownership of this emotion need not take hours of hypnotic programming either. Just five minutes a day.

–FACE YOUR FEARS–

The emotion is fear. All of our most memorable moments immediately follow fear. The butterflies in the stomach. The terror of being embarrassed. The excuses not to go through with it. They’re all signs something brilliant could be about to happen. We may be about to approach the woman we eventually marry. We might be preparing to perform what becomes our best talent. It could be sneaking into a secret party or planning an overseas adventure. Yet, all too often we listen to the voice telling us not to take that risk. We play it safe. The stress subsides. We stay as exactly the same person. Another day passes. A year. A decade. And we still satiate in the same safe behaviors and activities that won’t cause these stressful side effects.

–IGNORE YOUR INSTINCTS–

Biologically, we believe it’s best to stay the same. Our brains don’t want us doing anything that causes unnecessary stress. We’ve evolved to avoid doing anything different from what we know in case it puts us in danger. Even the danger of being looked down on by society is seen as something to be avoided at all costs. It supposedly stems from cavemen times, when being cast out of the tribe would mean certain death. No wonder it’s so difficult to indulge in anything daring. We must push past this or potentially face our biggest fear of all — the fear of lying on our deathbed, looking back at our lives and wondering was that it?

–YOUR DAILY CHALLENGE–

To fight back, I propose the following five-minute exercise: Do one thing a day that scares you.

It’s a cliche, but fantastic advice for building a fulfilling life.

Find situations that make your toes curl. Train yourself to take action whenever you sense the nerves tingling. Savor the uncertainty. It will be the most frightening, yet the most fun thing you teach yourself to do. Imagine how many epic tales you’d tell by spending five minutes a day doing something scary.

–BE A RISK-TAKING ROCKSTAR–

It’s an attitude that could work wonders for your dating life. For starters, most relationships are born from having the balls to make a move. If every bone in your body tells you not to do it, it’s probably because she’s extra special. So, whenever you feel those butterflies, you better fly over. Even if she shoots you down, it would still make an interesting story. More importantly, you’re teaching yourself that nothing too terrible will happen as a result of making a move. Soon enough, you’ll notice your nerves subsiding. This will send your results with women skyrocketing. Women want fun, ambitious and fearless men. They want risk-takers. They want men who live for the moment. Practice being that unpredictable rockstar. This habit will help with your career too. Maybe you’ll be bold enough to start your own business or train for that job you always wanted. Perhaps you’ll start pitching ideas and earn that promotion.

–THE CHARISMATIC QUESTION–

Here’s a question to help with those difficult life decisions: Will it be funnier than not doing it? The answer has led to me starting stand-up comedy, taking up boxing and arranging some solo holidays. My first comedy set was five minutes long. My first boxing match lasted six minutes. It takes just two or three minutes to scroll through Expedia. Yet, the impact of these moments will last a lifetime. I’m hardly Hugh Hefner or Paris Hilton for having made these decisions, but it’s a lot funnier than not doing it. Even if these things go badly, at least I won’t be on my deathbed lamenting my boring life. I hate that I’ve committed to doing one thing a day that scares me. I’ve made some dumb decisions because I thought it would be funny. It’s not a comfortable way to live life. Still, I encourage you to do the same. Rather than avoiding that awkward internal feeling, addict yourself to it. You’ll be amazed at what can happen.

Joe Elvin

Joe Elvin is a freelance writer travelling the world living as a digital nomad. He blogs about how to escape your comfort zone, chase adventure and find the bravery to live your best life. Download his free e-book 'How To Conquer Social Anxiety' at https://bit.ly/2MBxm4N

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