How often do you leap out of bed excited about what the day will bring? Do you know exactly what youll be doing next week because its exactly the same as what you did this week? Could you be suffering from SIAR Syndrome? Its the hidden syndrome that can leave you tired, listless and frustrated. It strikes down both the young and the old, the rich and the poor. Talked about in hushed tones with trusted confidantes, its the affliction that leaves victims asking, Why me? But for sufferers, there is light at the end of the tunnel because SIAR Syndrome can be avoided and its effects eliminated. If the following sounds familiar, you too could be a sufferer without even realising it: When your friends ask you what youre up to, do you reply with something along the lines of Oh, you know, same old, same old? If doing the same thing over and over again is making you happy, great! But if its not, maybe nows the time to do something about it, because the chances are youve caught it - SIAR, or Stuck-In-A-Rut Syndrome. Breaking out of a rut can be tricky. It can mean changing habits, making uncomfortable decisions and committing to doing things differently. But it can also be liberating, invigorating and youll wonder why you didnt do it sooner! Whether youre stuck in a rut at work or in your personal life, its worth bearing in mind this quote from well-known author and speaker on personal development, Anthony Robbins: If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten. How many times do we do the same things over and over again and expect to get different results? In business, we might, for example, keep doing the same Marketing weve always done, yet expect the results to be better than they were last time. In our personal lives, we might walk into the same set of circumstances weve had before, yet expect things to be better this time. But there is something even worse than being a sufferer of SIAR Syndromebeing a carrier. You know the people Im talking about, dont you? Thatll never work and play it safe are some of their favourite sayings. Stuck in a rut themselves, they cant bear the thought that someone else might break free of it. But with so many people stuck in a rut, surely it should have some good points, shouldnt it? Lets have a look at the Pros and Cons of being stuck in a rut: Pros: - Its comfortable
- It doesnt take much effort
- You know what to expect
- Its easy to surround yourself with like-minded people
- Theres less chance of making a mistake
Cons: - It makes life boring and predictable
- You feel that life is passing you by
- It can leave you wondering where your life has gone
- You could look back and wonder about the what-if's
- It can be scary even thinking about breaking out
It's worth taking some time out to think about some idea of your goals both personally and professionally. Perhaps youve already got some plans in place setting out what youll get done this year, next year and possibly for the next 5, 10 or 20 years. Do any of them involve changing something? Do ALL of them involve changing something? Does it make you excited or nervous? A way to tackle nerves is to break the change down into its component parts to discover exactly what it is thats making you nervous. Sometimes nerves can kick in when youre doing something that youve never done before and that can lead to procrastination, one of the symptoms of SIAR syndrome. Once you know exactly whats making you nervous, dig deeper and ask yourself what is it about xxxx thats making me nervous? Then youll be able to think about ways of overcoming it. Interestingly enough, the same symptoms of nerves shortness of breath, racing heart beat and thinking fast are the exact same symptoms of excitement. Its all down to how you frame them in your mind. Next time you think youre nervous, tell yourself its excitement and youll make the experience a whole lot more enjoyable! You might even crack a smile! Breaking out of a rut is a lot easier when youve got someone guiding you through it. Working with a life coach or business coach is a little like working with a personal trainer your coach will motivate and push you to do more than youd do alone. Plus, because theyre outside of your normal circle of friends and contacts they can offer a fresh perspective on things. Break free!! |