"Between stimulus and response lies a space. In that space is our power to choose."
Viktor Frankl
Neurologist, Psychiatrist, and Holocaust Survivor
- Date
The 5-Breath Rule: Reclaiming the Space Between Stimulus and Response
posted in Built For Hard
Adam Kreek
Most leaders let the space between stimulus and response disappear—and then wonder why their performance tanks.
Viktor Frankl captured it perfectly:
“Between stimulus and response lies a space. In that space is our power to choose.”
But let’s be honest—Slack pings, crisis calls, and inbox overload crush that space to zero on most days.
The fix isn’t complex. It’s intentional.
Harvard researchers found that just 60 seconds of paced breathing can cut cortisol by 24% and boost focus by 21%.
One minute. That’s all it takes to reset your nervous system and reclaim choice.
Last quarter, a CFO I coach faced a hostile earnings call. Before going live, we paused.
One deliberate breath—four counts in, six counts out.
Her heart rate dropped. Her voice steadied.
She pivoted from defensive to strategic—and protected a billion-dollar narrative.
Here’s how you can do the same:
Leadership Drill — The 5-Breath Rule
- Set five nudges in your calendar: start-of-day, pre-meeting, post-meeting, mid-afternoon, wrap-up
- When the alert hits: exhale fully, inhale for four, exhale for six
- Track the quality of your decisions and conversations that follow
Run it for one week. Watch your clarity climb.
Want the simple tracker? For a copy you can download [CLICK HERE]
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Adam Kreek and his team are on a mission to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.
Kreek is an Executive Business Coach who lives in Victoria, BC, near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Seattle, Washington, USA, in the Pacific Northwest. He works with clients globally, often travelling to California in the San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, Georgia, Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, a storied adventurer and a father.
He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen.
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