1. The 15-Second Principle

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other. What makes this intersection unique is that it is very busy, yet it doesn't have any traffic lights.
Instead, there are six stop signs, followed by a huge and unmarked open area. Each driver, after stopping,
enters this open common area and proceeds to hook up with his or her desired street. During an average
day, thousands of cars weave and crisscross as each driver navigates this active, free-for-all intersection.
An interesting piece of historical data about this potentially dangerous crossroad is that no one living in the
neighborhood (including the Beverly Hills Police Department) can ever remember an accident occurring
there. One day, I spent an hour watching hundreds of cars enter and leave the intersection. Let me share
my observations with you. As drivers enter the common area, they tend to do the following:
1. They respect the potential danger and become more alert, focused, and attentive (especially in rushhour
traffic). They shift their attention from automatic pilot to living in present time.
2. They stop their secondary activities (talking on the phone, changing a CD, singing, looking at the
scenery, putting on mascara, memorizing a monologue for acting class, and so forth).
3. They assume that other drivers will do something unpredictable and dangerous. Drivers take full
responsibility for their own safety and become more attuned to the surroundings.
We can learn an important performing lesson from this six-point intersection. Whenever we are doing
something that is potentially dangerous, we should show respect for our lives and endeavors by refocusing
our attention and living in present time. This includes such actions as cutting with a knife, hammering a
nail, shaving with a razor, climbing a ladder, and driving a car (all the time). If you want the world to be a
safer place for you and others, don't be preoccupied and assume that your skill, God, and luck will protect
you. Rather, be fully present when you are executing potentially hazardous actions, and fewer things will go
wrong. By zoning in (living in the present) rather than zoning out (mentally drifting into the past or future),
you will bring more proficiency and enjoyment to your actions.1