Promonoise... What Rhymes with Rut?
We’ve all been there: a week without closing a single sale, back-to-back meetings that sucked, or even a speeding ticket. If you start piling those things onto one another, you begin to make an indent, otherwise known as a rut. The deeper the rut, the harder it is to pull yourself out. For some, the rut gets so deep that digging out doesn’t seem like an option anymore.
Fortunately...
There are many ways to create a new path,
and equally as many ways to escape the gloom.
If you think about it, being in a rut isn’t a product of circumstance. It’s actually a mindset. The only thing that sucks about being in a rut is the feeling that accompanies it. So, in theory, if we could change the way we feel about circumstance, then we wouldn’t feel so despondent. Let me explain why this is such an important realization.
Those that accomplish great things in life don’t do so with a negative attitude. It was a “can-do” attitude that put humankind on the moon with the Apollo Program and it’s a positive belief in team and in self that wins sports championships. In other words, it’s almost impossible to win at anything when you’re in a negative space. Therefore, the key to turning things around isn’t in circumstance at all - it’s all in your head.
When I’m “in a rut” the last thing I do is to ask myself why it happened.
Research shows that asking why things went wrong isn’t the key to fixing the problem. In fact, it could put you on the wrong path. Researcher and organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich maintains that fixating on past failures doesn’t bring us closer to the truth, it actually steers us away from it due to an inherent inability to unpack what’s stored in the subconscious. She also maintains that we end-up inventing answers to our question that may feel true but end-up being quite incorrect. (The science behind this is fascinating and it’s worth checking-out Eurich’s TEDx talk, if you have a couple of minutes.)
But the bottom line is that wallowing in the past by asking “why” questions doesn’t often help us get out of the rut. Instead, the key is to ask a “what” question, such as:
“What could I do right now that would improve my position?”
This very action-oriented question is exactly the kind of question that creates movement and momentum. And if you need a little help to get those “what” questions going, simply jot down a few of your most recent wins. Bask in the energy you feel when you vividly remember securing that last big order, getting a promotion, or whatever great thing you recently accomplished. When you’ve locked-in to that feeling, use it to formulate a “what” question.
No matter the circumstance, there is always a way to move forward with a feeling of triumph and joy. Nelson Mandela was a prime example of a man that could have stayed in a rut for the rest of his life when he was imprisoned for opposing appartheid. But he must have asked himself “what” he can do to improve the lives of others, because his determination and resolve earned him a spot in history as the driving force behind positive change in his beloved country of South Africa.
So if you still haven’t figured out what rhymes with “rut,” the answer is in the title. :)
Let’s keep making beautiful noise together!
Alex
Feel free to contact Alex directly with any questions or support.
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