Reignite your spark

July 7th, 2023

This is The Friday Journal, your weekly dose of inspiration to help you build a fulfilling high-performing healthy, and successful life. Each week I share my thoughts on what I’m pondering and exploring, providing you with valuable insights and actionable ideas.

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This week's issue is a concise one but packed with valuable insights.

This one is a 4-minute read.

So, get your coffee ready, and let's get started!

How to reignite your spark?

Escaping The Rut

You're doing great in every aspect of your life—feeling inspired and motivated. Everything seems to be going smoothly for you. You wake up on time, complete your morning routine successfully, and confidently move ahead into the day.

You're in a positive state of mind. Then, Suddenly, you're not.

You don't know why, the motivation and inspiration you had are not there anymore. Things become difficult, and you're struggling with getting up on time and you skip your daily morning routines. You just feel lazy as you head into the day.

You're in a rut!

But that's ok, it happens to everyone. It's particularly common among ambitious people who often push themselves too hard. Today, I'll share a three-step approach to help you break free from the rut and get back on track.

During the past week, I noticed I was slipping into a rut. The first sign was a feeling of exhaustion both physically and mentally. I struggled to wake up at my usual time, lacked motivation for work, and even didn't feel like writing which I always love.

Thankfully, I stumbled upon some valuable guidelines to handle such situations and overcome them.

I approached it in three simple steps…

• Stop

• Pivot

• Move

Stop

Being in a rut is common and happens all the time, but how we usually react to it is what makes it worse.

Two of the most common ways that dig you deeper into the rut are:

• Being hard on yourself: It's very easy to be hard on yourself when you're stuck, you start using negative self-talk and criticism, and then you start thinking negatively about yourself which leads to believing in them.

• Pushing harder to get out: People believe that they can get out by pushing harder, but the more you push the more you get stuck.

We've been told that taking more rests is not good for us, because that means less productivity, lost opportunities, and wasted time. But you dig deeper when you don't get the rest you need!

Here's how to stop:

• Change your Mindset: Give yourself a break! If you start using negative self-talk and criticism, Stop it. Because it's not true.

• Take a Rest: When you feel stuck, take a rest. Do something new, go for a walk, or simply spend time with loved ones.

If you succeed, then you made it through the hard part. And then comes the second step which is to shift your path.

Pivot

When you get out you need to change your direction, you need to Pivot.

Look deeply at what you can change—Things you can control.

• Take a moment to reflect on your role in creating unwanted conditions. Are there any behaviors, beliefs, or habits that might be contributing to the rut? How can you make changes to improve those circumstances?

• Consider how your environment is impacting your current reality in a negative way. Often, our surroundings play a significant role in our rut. It could be as simple as seeking a change of scenery or identifying and removing energy-draining factors or people from your life that perpetuate the negative cycle.

Then, move to the final step.

Move

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Mark Twain

Don't wait for motivation to start, motivation happens with movement. Just start, all you need is just a little movement to create momentum.

Then momentum creates Motivation.

The best approach for generating momentum is the "Minimum Viable Progress."

The idea is simple: take small steps, as even the tiniest progress adds up.

If you're trying to regain your work productivity, don't worry about executing four-hour blocks of intense focus; instead, dedicate 15 minutes to a single task.

Avoid seeking perfection or overwhelming progress.

As James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, wisely said, "Just because it's not optimal, doesn't mean it's not beneficial."

Narrow your focus and start small—even with the tiniest actions. From there, you can build and progress further.

The Key Takeaway

Life is like a big game that depends on doing good positive things consistently that compound over time.

So, the most important thing is to keep going and not give up.

Sometimes, you might feel stuck or in a rut. When that happens, it's better to take it slow and work through the challenges. Pushing too hard can make things worse and keep you stuck for even longer.

Give it a try!

That's it.

Enjoy your week and see you soon!

Cheers, 

Sam 

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