Book SummaryThe High 5 Habit, by Mel Robbins

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The High 5 Habit

Are you ready to transform your life with a simple yet powerful habit? Imagine a practice that can boost your confidence, amplify your positivity, and propel you toward your goals. The High 5 Habit is a game-changing technique that can transform your relationship with yourself. In The High 5 Habit, Mel Robbins explains that when it comes to positive self-talk, we're often our own worst enemy. She argues that starting every day by giving yourself a high five in the mirror can help you silence self-doubt and adopt an attitude of confidence and self-love that will allow you to achieve your dreams.

Robbins is a best-selling author, podcast host, and popular motivational speaker. She gained widespread recognition through her TEDx talk, ["How to Stop Screwing Yourself...

The High 5 Habit Summary What Is the High 5 Habit?

The High 5 Habit is a daily attitude of self-love that boosts your confidence, happiness, and ability to achieve your goals. Robbins explains that while many of us enthusiastically cheer on our partners, children, and colleagues, we often fail to be cheerleaders for ourselves. Instead, we hold onto self-limiting beliefs that prevent us from achieving our dreams. She argues that you can change your mindset by starting your day with a high five instead of with self-criticism and doubt. A high five, she insists, is the best way to communicate to yourself that you're worthy, loved, and capable of achieving your biggest dreams.

(Shortform note: The scientific term for self-love is self-positivity bias, a cognitive bias where people demonstrate a largely favorable view of themselves, emphasizing their strengths and attributes over their weaknesses. Some psychologists suggest that self-positivity bias has a number of evidence-based mental and physical health benefits, including lower stress levels and increased confidence and motivation. However, this bias also has the...

The High 5 Habit Summary How Do You Build a High 5 Habit?

Robbins says a High 5 Habit begins with three simple steps.

1. When you first wake up, go to your bathroom and look in the mirror. Observe your reflection and think about what you love about who you are as a person.
2. Give your reflection a high five.
3. Repeat every day.

How to Build a Habit

Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, elaborates on what you can do to help form a new habit, like giving yourself a high five every morning. He argues that all habits require three elements:

1. The cue: The cue is a signal that triggers the brain to initiate a particular behavior. It can be something internal or external, such as a specific time of day, a particular location, an emotional state, or even the presence of certain people. Cues can vary depending on the habit and the individual.

2. The routine: The routine is the behavior itself—the action or series of actions that you perform in response to the cue. This is the habitual behavior that you want to establish or change. It can be a...

Shortform Exercise: Build a High 5 Habit

The High 5 Habit isn’t just about a daily high five, but a habitual attitude of self-love. Changing how you think about and talk to yourself takes practice.

Write down five positive qualities or strengths that you possess. These can be related to any aspect of your life, such as personal traits, skills, or achievements.

Shortform Exercise: Reframe Negative Thought Patterns

As you begin to build a High 5 Habit, you’ll still have moments of self-doubt or negative self-talk. Robbins argues that it’s important to address the negative thoughts as they occur using the following three-step process: Interrupt the thought, replace it with a positive affirmation, and take action to validate that affirmation.

What is a common negative thought or limiting belief that you have? Write it down.