Are you in the groove, or a rut?

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Are you "in the groove", making good time and product, or are you in a rut?
How to tell?

• A rut is about 6" deeper than a groove
• It's easy to see over to the next groove -- it may be better -- and you can change grooves if you need to
• In a rut, you often can't see out for other opportunities
• A rut sometimes just gets deeper the more you're doing

Alex Walton, 3PM

In a rut, the first rule of holes often applies: just stop digging!

Beyond platitudes:
Most people would prefer not to be in a rut; it's not stimulating and rewarding

• Like never before, self-help is the first step out. And the internet is the primo source of self-help.
• Summoning the courage to take a risk is probably step two. Even if you're just moving into a groove in familiar space, that sometimes requires some risk-taking
• Asking others for an evaluation of your profile is an important risk step. Park your ego and your pride long enough to take in the data and process it.
• You may have to outright quit and start over, maybe even entry level. Or, if you're entrepreneurial (and everyone isn't), you can start your own 

But the most important thing is to overcome inertia and "do something". If it doesn't work, try again. Ruts are not permanent.