How often do you leap out of bed excited about what the day will bring?
Do you know exactly what you’ll be doing next week – because it’s exactly the same as what you did this week? Could you be suffering from SIAR Syndrome?
It’s 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, it’s 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 you’re 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 it’s not, maybe now’s the time to do something about it, because the chances are you’ve 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 you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner!
Whether you’re stuck in a rut at work or in your personal life, it’s 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 we’ve 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 we’ve had before, yet expect things to be better this time.
But there is something even worse than being a sufferer of SIAR Syndrome…being a carrier. You know the people I’m talking about, don’t you? “That’ll never work” and “play it safe” are some of their favourite sayings. Stuck in a rut themselves, they can’t 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, shouldn’t it?
Let’s have a look at the Pro’s and Con’s of being stuck in a rut:
Pros:
- It’s comfortable
- It doesn’t take much effort
- You know what to expect
- It’s easy to surround yourself with like-minded people
- There’s 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
Now, imagine that you’re in your twilight years, sat in your rocking chair thinking back over your life. If it helps, imagine that you’re flicking through the photo albums showing your life. Think about all the things that you’ll have achieved, what you’ve done with your life, who you met and what you learned.
This ought to get you started with all the things that you want to start working towards. Now, how would you feel if you could start to make it all happen? What goals would you want to set for yourself?
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 that’s making you nervous. Sometimes nerves can kick in when you’re doing something that you’ve never done before and that can lead to procrastination, one of the symptoms of SIAR syndrome.
Once you know exactly what’s making you nervous, dig deeper and ask yourself “what is it about xxxx that’s making me nervous?” Then you’ll 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. It’s all down to how you frame them in your mind.
Next time you think you’re nervous, tell yourself it’s excitement and you’ll make the experience a whole lot more enjoyable! You might even crack a smile!
Breaking out of a rut is a lot easier when you’ve 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 you’d do alone. Plus, because they’re outside of your normal circle of friends and contacts they can offer a fresh perspective on things. Break free!!
HRM Coaching has a network of experienced, professional coaches who can help you to achieve your business and personal goals this year.
To find out more, call 020 7939 9910.
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