The 7 Universal Laws of the Rut

by | May 21, 2025 | Uncategorized

I’m venturing a guess that all of us have found ourselves in a rut from time to time. I know I have. Dan Rockwell has some good insight on what to do.

Guest Post by Dan Rockwell

A rut is a grave with the ends kicked out.

The 7 Universal Laws of the Rut

Law #1. Stop spinning your tires.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” — Henry Ford

Stop doing things that got you stuck. Set aside reflection time to identify the causes.

Project: Make a list of attitudes and actions that brought you to this point. Do this every evening for a week. Stop things that aren’t working.

Law #2. Tell yourself the truth.

Excuses are stories we tell ourselves to feel better about staying the same. Blame delays freedom.

Project: Eliminate language that affirms weakness. Own your choices, emotions, and actions.

Law #3. Expose patterns.

  • Do relationships often end in the same place?
  • Are you persistently unhappy about the same thing?
  • Have you repeatedly dropped the ball in the same way?

Project: Write down three frustrations. What similarities do you see?

Law #4. Seek the truth.

Destructive patterns die hard. Are you surrounded by comforters? Find someone who will challenge you.

Project: Ask a trusted friend, “What’s one thing I need to hear, but probably don’t want to?”

Law #5. Focus on becoming.

Becoming is better than being. New behaviors create new paths.

Project: Finish this sentence, “The kind of person I want to be is…” Now list one behavior that person would practice.

Law #6. Contribute.

Put the idea of changing the world on the back burner. Just make a difference – in small ways – now.

Project: Make life better for someone every day. When it energizes you, do more of that.

Law #7. Try stuff.

Action produces clarity.

Project: Do one new thing this week. Journal what you learned about the task and about yourself.

What helps leaders get unstuck?

What laws of the rut might you add?

A Rut is A Grave with the Ends Kicked Out

The Doer Trap: How Leaders Get Stuck and How to Break Free | IndustryWeek