When a coach gives a rousing locker room speech before a game he knows that what he says may be a distant memory by the time the players are deep into the battles of the game. What's important is that those words are ringing in their ears when they head out to play those first few minutes. What's important is that they are in the right headspace when the battle begins.

This is an example of the "first five" philosophy I have always lived by. I think we all have greatness within us, but sometimes the size and scope of the battle ahead can paralyze us. It's hard to know where to start. Or even when you do know, it can be hard to get yourself up for the fight. That's when it helps to focus on the first five.

The first five minutes of your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. If you get up feeling oppressed by what lies ahead, that feeling will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. On the other hand, if you spend those first five minutes reminding yourself of the gratitude you feel for what you have, and getting centered for the day and its possibilities, you can't help but create the right momentum.

The first five minutes of your morning huddle with your team should have the same energy. The same goes for the first five patients; get through a morning where you are hitting all the right notes with your patients and you will feel invigorated. It's a feeling that will carry over into the afternoon and through the rest of your day.

It's a principle you can apply almost any time. Give yourself completely to the first five minutes of a course you attend and you will find yourself immersed. Got a letter or email you have been avoiding writing? Just tell yourself you'll get the first five sentences (or even the first five words) down and see how things take off once you've got your mind into it.

Recently I had someone say to me: "No matter when I see you, you always seem so young, and are always so engaged and passionate." I am happy to say that people often remark to me on how youthful and energetic I am and ask me what my secret is. The answer is I have two secrets. First of all, I get my hair dyed every three weeks. The second secret is that I have trained myself to take the time every day, throughout the day, to do a self-diagnosis on my state of mind – to catch myself if I feel my enthusiasm lagging and to get myself centered and refocused. Each hour I make sure those first five minutes are the best I can make them. That mental "check-in" keeps my mind where I want it, and it keeps me feeling refreshed and positive.

The fact is, most of us know what we need to do at any given time – the hard part is just getting started. But the answer may be simpler than you think. Just put your heart and soul into the "first five" and let your natural sense of momentum take it from there.


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