One tool to effortlessly remove friction from your life

One of the things that has infinite upside across all of life’s domains is removing friction.

You know, the tension in a project, the open loops keeping your mind distracted.

When your mind feels full but not focused, that’s a sign of friction.

This week, I’m sharing a super simple tool to clear the mental clutter and remove the hidden blockers draining your energy and attention.

It’s called the 5×5 Trigger list.

Here’s how it works.

Take 5 minutes.

Write down the 1 thing creating friction in each of these 5 categories:

1. Work (e.g., overdue emails, unclear priorities)

2. Self (e.g., skipped a workout and feeling guilty, inner critic on loud)

3. Relationships (e.g., misaligned expectations, unspoken tension, resentment)

4. Environment (e.g., cluttered desk, unorganized closet, dirty car)

5. Digital (e.g., scattered notes, unread messages, unorganized file system)

That’s it.

Just write them down. No pressure to fix them all at once.

Because clarity is the first step.

When you name it, you tame it.

Why it matters:

The truth is, most of us don’t take the time to conduct an audit like this.

We run on autopilot, with these micro-frustrations idling in the background.

A list like this acts like a flashlight.

It surfaces the invisible things tripping you up and gives your mind permission to let go.

Awareness creates choice and choice creates freedom.

Try it out.

Set a 5-minute timer.

Grab a pen.

Let the truth spill out.

You might just uncover the exact thing that’s been pulling you out of the present moment without even realizing it.

At the very least, it will force you to be brutally honest with yourself.

And that’s a gift.

What came up for you?

Hit reply and let me know what surprised you most about your list.

I read every message.

Much Love,

Cory Firth
Creator of One Minute Weekend

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