James Barry

It’s everywhere. On our phones. In our rooms. It’s even in the vehicles we drive.

The error may be big. The errors may be small. But they are there.

After all, humans built everything we see.

Even in the most extreme situations (space launches, weapons, etc.) human error is a component.

All humans have their flaws. We all inevitably make mistakes.

So whenever you encounter a problem and think “this doesn’t make sense”.

Realize that maybe, JUST maybe, the person who designed it wasn’t infallible.

Maybe YOU could have done it better.

It may just give a different perspective.

There was once a town in the middle of the country called Greendale.

It was an old football town with a long history. Greendale had been been reigning State Champions for the past 5 years, and had won numerous champions dating farther back than most residents could remember.

Recently, a new mayor had been elected to the town. This mayor was determined to make some big changes.

He wanted to get rid of everything that was a relic from the past. Bring Greendale into a new age!

Hitching posts that travelers used to tie their horses to were ripped out. Horses were a rare sight these days.

An abandoned saloon was refurbished and turned into a modern motel. They had more tourists than ever these days.

A fence that surrounded Greendale High and its football field was demolished. It didn’t do anything but make it difficult for residents to watch the games anyway.

Mr. Mayor patted himself on the back for a job well done. He had successfully brought Greendale into the new century!

The next afternoon the team showed up to practice and… the field was COVERED in geese.

Hundreds of them. Their droppings were everywhere.

Turns out, Greendale High used to have a geese problem due to the location of their field. A problem that had been solved decades ago by a mayor named Chesterton.

He had a simple solution: put up a fence to keep the geese out. A solution that worked so well, they called it Chesterton’s Fence.

The new mayor learned an important lesson that day. Before you remove anything, it’s best to understand why it was there in the first place

It’s very rare for people to build things for no reason at all.

The memories that we retain are fascinating.

Especially quotes, since an entire life lesson can be summarized in just a few words.

Here are 7 quotes that have had a big impact on me.

Every day you spend above the ground is a good one.

– Unknown (but after a quick Google… apparently Scarface).

Whenever I’m having a bad day I think about this and realize I’m luckier than most. Just being alive is a gift.

One moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory.

– Louis Zamperini

Whenever something is hard, but there’s a big reward on the other end, it’s worth doing. Read the book Unbroken, Louis Zamperini’s biography. You won’t regret it.

You should be working to improve yourself everyday.

– John Barry (My Father)

The fact that this was drilled into me as a child aside, it’s incredibly important to take the time to invest in yourself every day. Compounding returns over a lifetime will be huge.

Never make fun of somebody for something they can’t change.

– My College Teammate

Everybody has something they can’t change about themselves. Be sensitive, especially when it’s about something outside one’s control.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour. You don’t have to do it all today. Just lay a brick.”

– James Clear

Simple steps forward can add up to big results. Those simple steps just need to be taken every single day.

Your intention doesn’t matter. What matters is the outcome.

– Random (but widely known)

Nobody cares about what you wanted to happen. People care about what DID happen because of your actions.

Everybody has their own cross to bear. Sometimes you just don’t see it.

– Susan (My Therapist)

Every single person in this world is dealing with their own personal problems. Often, you just can’t see them. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t there though.

At one point or another, we have all been in a rut.

You feel unmotivated and doing the day-to-day becomes difficult.

Sometimes it’s caused by a specific event. Other times, there is no rhyme or reason behind it.

I’m currently writing this article in a rut myself. I’m behind my publishing schedule and can feel myself relapsing back into bad habits.

We’re not going to let that happen though, are we!

Here is how I am going about addressing it.

Identify the Cause

Without knowing why you entered into a rut, it’s impossible to avoid it from happening again.

For me, I enter mindset ruts for two reasons:

1. Pushing myself too hard and burning out.
2. Obsessing over my life trajectory (A.K.A., anxiety for no reason).

For you, the root cause may differ. The result is usually the same though.

Lack of energy and self-control.

Which leads to deprioritizing self-care, which turns into a negative feedback loop.

It’s a self perpetuating cycle.

Get Some Self-Care In

There’s two types of self-care. Fake Self-Care and Real Self-Care.

Fake Self-Care is doing what your minds wants you to do (“i.e. the easiest path”):

• Netflix
• Social Media
• Video Games
• Drinking
• Shopping

Fake self-care provides short-term mental relief, but only that. It doesn’t address the root cause of issues.

Then there is Real-Self Care. It’s what you know is good for you, but it’s not always the easiest thing to do:

• Working Out
• Meditating
• Going on a Walk
• Journaling
• Spending Time With Friends

The only way to get out of a rut is through Real-Self Care.

Hard Reset

For many, the best way to reset is through a good nights sleep and starting anew.

For others, it may be making a change in scenery. Where you work, when you work, or how you work.

It can also just be cleaning up your room and desk. Clean area, clean mind.

Most importantly, it’s moving yourself outside of your comfort zone.

The comfort zone is where it’s easiest for you to fall back into bad habits.

Getting yourself out of a rut is all about getting back into good habits.