How to Get Out of a Rut

In the third part of this series covering some of the big ideas in The New Man 360 audio course, I want to talk about how to get out of a rut.

Now, I’ve been in ruts that have lasted for days, and I’ve been in ruts that lasted for years. It’s awful. It takes such a toll on our energy, self-esteem, and quality of life.

So right now, I’m going to share a little checklist I developed for getting my ass — as well as quite a few other asses — out of a rut. But here’s the kicker — it’s only works if you do the work. There are no free lunches here.

Here we go:

1. Do Your Fundamentals

This is non-negotiable. Simply put, the fundamentals are the activities or practices that have you feel stronger. Exercise, eating well, sleeping well. Doing some kind of a gratitude practice. A daily meditation practice. If you’re not doing these things consistently, it’s hard to imagine how you could possibly function at a high level. Do the fundamentals. Period. Whether you feel like doing them or not. Your resistance isn’t going to give you permission to change. You just gotta do it. Most of us are putting them off until we get out of this rut. It’s the other way around — we get out of the rut because we do what strengthens us.

2. Clarify What You Want

Most of the time when we’re in a rut we get critical. We dwell on stuff in the past. Or maybe we’re focusing too far into the future. All of these things can kill our momentum. Why? Because they take our eye off of two things: What we want and what we can do right now.

So here’s what to do:

Take five minutes everyday to just write down what you want on the most mundane level. What shirt do you actually feel like wearing? What food do you actually feel like eating? What route do you actually feel like driving? Don’t just follow the routine. Get out of autopilot. Dial in to what you want and then take action very simple action. Do this enough and you’ll begin to hone in on what you want on a larger level. Use this process to train yourself how to clarify what you want and follow through. Imagine you’re building a fire. Start small. Keep it simple. Get over yourself. Shoot for good enough and build from there. This is how we build momentum.

3. Commit

Again — start small. Commit to the smallest outcomes you want to see in the time frame you want to see it. Let go of perfection. Be prepared to fall short, to screw up, and to have off days. It’s part of the process. When you are 100% committed to seeing it through, it doesn’t matter if you stumble along the way. You know you will reach your destination through your perseverance and determination. If you really want to make progress, then seal the exits. Don’t give yourself the option to go backwards. Don’t wait for yourself to be in the mood to do it. Just do it.

4. Trust Yourself

Many times we’re stuck because we’re afraid to take risks and fail. So plan on it. Make failure an option. Trust that you will get up when you fall down. When you stick your neck out, you will recover. If you don’t get it right, you will be ok. Trust that you have what it takes. You do. It’s only your doubt that will have you believe otherwise.

5. Share What You’re Doing With Other People

Don’t be a lone wolf. Allow others to help you. People will have your back if you’re willing to open up and share what you’re up to. If you don’t share, you will receive no support. You’d be surprised at how much a little support and reinforcement will keep you going. Only morons believe they’re the only ones going through something. You’re not a moron.

6. Course Correct

Most of the time we’re stuck because we need a foolproof plan. This doesn’t exist. Stop trying to gauge things based on speculation about what could happen. Instead, get started and then course correct based on your actual experience. Actually do the thing and get some real world feedback. Recalibrate and move forward. Nothing is more valuable than the actual experience.

If you’re willing to stick to this checklist you will get out of a rut. I have no doubts. The challenge lies in finding the smallest step you’re willing to take. The smallest risks you’re willing to make. Reduce the challenge, reduce the risk and take action. Then repeat.

This is just one of the areas we explore in The New Man 360 audio course that covers what really matters and what really works when it comes to: