How to Get Out of a Rut

 

There is one major difference between a grave and a rut…

A grave is permanent. A rut is not!

So the good news is, if you’re stuck in a rut, you CAN get out. Here are three ideas for how to get out of a rut no matter what type of rut you might be facing…whether it is in your career, business, family life, or personal life.

How to Get Out of a Rut

First, don’t expect others to get you out of your rut. Why? Because it’s your rut! This means you need to own your rut and take 100 percent responsibility for getting out of it. Will people offer help? Probably. Should you accept their assistance? Absolutely! Other people can be mentors, cheerleaders, and advisers, but it's still your rut and it’s up to you to get out of it.

Second, a great strategy for how to get out of a rut is to set intentional goals that proactively move you out of your rut. A good rule of thumb when setting these goals—think of what you did to get into the rut and establish goals that force you to do the exact opposite. As Earl Nightingale said, “If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you’ll receive greater rewards.”

Third, when setting goals for how to get out of a rut, be realistic. You didn’t get into your rut overnight, so you probably won’t get out of it overnight either. But if you focus on taking small steps every day, you will be shocked at how you move from stuck to unstuck within a matter of 90, 60, or even just 30 days.

 

Questions: Which of these ideas for how to get out of a rut is most helpful to you? What other ideas would you add to this list?