We all need a plan B, right? Going out on a limb with only one possible outcome is a bad idea, right?

Taking a big risk is dangerous and stupid, right? Well, it depends. Does your goal matter to you or not?

Will this pursuit change your life or not? Playing it safe is smart, but being smart

is not always the best path forward. This is the 5 a.m. Miracle, episode number 529,

by any means necessary, the extreme and often necessary rejection of backup plans.

Good morning and welcome to the 5 a.m. Miracle.

I am Jeff Sanders and this is the podcast dedicated to dominating your day before breakfast.

My goal is to help you bounce out of bed with enthusiasm, create powerful

lifelong habits, and tackle your grandest goals with extraordinary energy.

In the episode this week, I'll break down why backup plans are nothing more than fear talking,

why your goal is likely too weak and uninspiring to get your full attention, and how to pursue

your next big ambition with all the confidence you need to ditch any backup plans you once thought

were necessary. Let's dig in. So let's go back to 2009.

My wife, Tessa, and I were living in Boston at the time, and we knew it was time for a move.

Tessa had been going to graduate school, and the two of us decided, you know what, we love Boston.

It's a great town.

It's just not our town. It's too cold. It's too expensive. It's not our place, not our vibe. Don't get me

wrong, it's an awesome place to visit, fantastic city with lots of things to do. But living there is a

whole different beast. If you're from New England, you probably love New England.

The people that I met there did not want to leave. It was their home. It was their place to be.

It just wasn't ours. And so Tess and I decided at this point in our lives, we need a new adventure,

a new place to call home, a new place to start our future lives. In 2009, we were about 24, 25 years old,

...