We regularly read about the dangers of being in a rut. I’ve written about it ^[2] myself (several times ^[3]), but are there circumstances where being in a rut is a good thing? Does being “in a rut” get a bad rap?

It really depends. There are GOOD ruts – we call them ROUTINES.

Most of life is routine – dull and grubby, but routine is the momentum that keeps a man going. If you wait for inspiration you’ll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street. Ben Nicholas

I can make this one promise: show me your daily routine and I can come close to predicting your future because your future lies in those things that you do on a daily basis.

^[4]

^[5] There’s an old saying that goes something like this: Guard your thoughts for they soon become your words. Guard your words for they soon become your actions. Guard your actions for they soon become your habits. Guard your habits for they soon become your character. Guard your character for it will soon become your destiny. It all starts with something simple – a thought.

Great lives are established by making wise choices in the little things, and making them consistently, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.

Have you ever watched an icicle form? Each little droplet of water contributes a tiny amount over a period of time until the icicle grows to be a foot long or even longer. Our character is formed in much the same way – each thought, each action, each feeling we cultivate contribute a small amount of influence. Over a period of time, those little influences produce something big.

The key is to develop a good routine in our lives that produces what we really want – so what do you want to produce?

You can produce financial independence by daily:

• Spending less than you earn by budgeting ^[6]
• Saving and investing ^[7] properly
• Avoiding high interest debt
• Mitigating risk through insurance

You can produce a great relationship with a friend or loved one by daily:

• Listening ^[8] without judging
• Being grateful ^[9]
• Spending time with your friend or loved one
• Becoming genuinely interested in their best interests

You can produce a great career by daily:

• Putting your company’s interests ahead ^[10] of your own
• Finding a great mentor ^[11] and using his or her experience
• Working to correct your mistakes ^[12]
• Consistently working to make yourself more valuable at work ^[13]

Use a routine (or a good rut!) to help create momentum in your life and accomplish what you really want. It isn’t always easy – establishing a good habit rarely is – but the rewards are long lasting and life changing.

Are you up for it?

Photo by khowaga1 ^[24]

About the author

Ron has written 1083 articles on The Wisdom Journal.

The founder and editor of The Wisdom Journal ^[25] in 2007, Ron has worked in banking, distribution, retail, and upper management for companies ranging in size from small startups to multi-billion dollar corporations. He graduated Suma Cum Laude from a top MBA program and currently is a partner in a national building materials company.

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