You’re in a rut. And you can’t quite figure out how to get out.
It happens to us all. I’m convinced it’s the natural path of humankind. Life settles into a comfortable routine and, before we know it, we’re in the rut. On the hamster wheel. Spinning fast but getting nowhere.
You CAN break out of the rut, but it’ll take some determination. You will need to make some conscious decisions in order to overcome inertia and break free. Here are six steps to get out of the rut you find yourself in.
Admit you’re there
The first step in getting out of the rut is admitting that you’re there in the first place. It’s easy to convince ourselves we’re not there, but if you have even the slightest inkling that you are on the hamster wheel, then you probably are. It’s time to start digging yourself out.
Accept responsibility
Once you know you’re there, you’ll have to accept 100% responsibility for being there. Don’t blame your spouse or your boss or your “circumstances.” You got yourself there, and you can get yourself out, but only if you accept that, ultimately, you are responsible for being in the rut or out of it.
Identify the problem
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by “everything,” but that doesn’t really help. What part of your everyday life is the part you’re not happy with? Sometimes it’s something simple, like being sure to make time for exercise or your hobby. Sometimes it’s more complicated and takes a bit more creativity to break out. You won’t be able to break out, however, if you don’t know where the problem lies.
Don’t aim for perfection
Whatever you do, don’t stay in the rut waiting until you’ve got everything planned to perfection. You will NEVER have everything planned to perfection. Come up with a plan, then do it. It won’t be perfect. You will have missed things. You’ll find things you never even thought to consider. Accept that and move on. Know that perfection will never happen.
Do something
The magic is in the doing. Do something. Anything. Just do. You’ll never get out of the rut or off the hamster wheel if you don’t do anything.
Remember your why
It will take a lot of work to get out of the rut, but come back to your why to stay motivated. Once upon a time, it sounded like a good idea. Why did you start this process so long ago? Stay focused on that reason and don’t lose sight of it – that’s what will keep you going. Put post-its on your computer, on your mirror, and on your fridge to remind you of your why. If your why is strong enough, you’ll stick with it.
You CAN get out of the rut. Take steps to get out now.
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Here are the other posts in this series:
Day 1: Define your dream
Day 2: Believe in yourself
Day 3: Believe in your dream
Day 4: Break out of the rut
Day 5: Go public with your idea
Day 6: Don’t fear failure
Day 7: Change your mindset
Day 8: Commit to your dream
Day 9: Celebrate small successes
Hi Nancy, thanks for this post. I am in a rut! Your point about “don’t aim for perfection” is key for me. I have admitted I am there and I know I have to do something about it but sometimes I try to have everything just right and perfect before I attempt to do anything about it. If I keep waiting for that, I will never do it! LOL!
I always enjoy your blog posts – thanks!
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Nancy Sathre-Vogel Reply:
February 21st, 2013 at 9:05 pm
@Susan, That’s so easy to do! It’s so easy to get caught up in the trap of thinking you have to do it perfectly, or not do it at all. Perfection is not required. Doing it is.
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