Why You're Stuck In A Rut

You’re stuck in a rut. You’re uninspired and don’t know how to get motivated.

Any good entrepreneur has been there: You’re trying to create content, build a client base, build brand awareness, but nothing.is.happening. None of your efforts seem to be paying off and you’re left feeling like you’ve chased your tail.

Here are some helpful tips to get out of that rut, and back on to the road to success:

Radical Self-Care: Yep, rather than digging in your heels and working harder, step away and care for yourself in the ways that are most meaningful and impactful to your life. Does this mean a weekend away, completely unplugged? Perhaps it means a yoga class followed by a dinner out with some friends. Whatever it is that recharges your batteries and leaves your heart feeling full, do that. It’s the first and most important step in getting out of that rut.

Eat Real Food: The connection between food and brain function is proven and undeniable. There are plenty of published research studies supporting this, so take it to heart: What you put into your body matters dramatically to the output of your creative work. Junk in, junk out. Eat brain food, regularly.

Move With Intention: Sometimes all you need to do is get the blood flowing. Have you been sitting at your computer for the entire week, doing nothing but diligently hunching over your computer? Get up, go for a walk, stretch, do some jumping jacks. Dopamine released in the body after a workout fuels creativity better than anything. Robin Sharma writes about this and says, “Sweating releases BDNF, a brain chemical that actually grows neural connections. Working out also releases dopamine (the neurotransmitter of motivation) and serotonin, which makes you feel happy.” Try it out and you’ll agree.

Think About Something Else: Think about something higher, more important, than what you’re trying to do. The area in which you’re stuck is not the most important thing in the world, or YOUR world, though it may feel that way. Fix your thoughts on something better, higher, more important. Get spiritual, talk to a mentor, read the Bible. Whatever it is for you, do something to remind you that this is not the end all, be all, but rather a speed bump in the road of progress.

You are a dynamic, creative, intelligent human being with gifts and talents that are yours alone. The world needs your contribution and output. There’s no need to suffer through it because, at the end of the day, you should LOVE what you do and feel energized by it. Remember that this rut is temporary and you’re stuck in it to learn something to share with the world!