Getting out of a slump is not
difficult, though it often requires persistence. The problem is that most
people either don’t realize what they have to do to reverse a slump, or they
are not willing to do it.
I have developed a 3-part strategy
for overcoming a slump that works for both business and personal setbacks. The
problem is that the formula is so simple -- it contains a total of 7 words --
that you may be tempted to dismiss it, even thought it has worked for me and
hundreds of other individuals.
Here is the formula for getting out
of a slump:
1.
Do something.
2.
Do more.
3.
Keep doing it.
Let’s examine the three parts in more detail:
Step 1: Do something. Do I mean do anything, no
matter how random? Well, no. But almost. Here’s what I mean....
Most people in a slump spend most of their time
worrying, ruminating, and planning. They suffer from “analysis paralysis.” They
become so obsessed making their next step perfect, they never take it.
You can only reverse a slump through action, so
you’ve got to act -- now! Not sure whether Idea A makes sense? Do it anyway.
Not sure whether to take Path X or Path Y? Pick one and go forward.
The very fact that you are taking action -- instead
of getting stuck in inaction -- will automatically start you on the road to
recovery.
Step 2: Do more. There are two common reasons why people fail. One is
that they don’t do the work required to
get the results they want.
Putting into action just one or two ideas may help, but it’s probably not enough to totally solve your problem.
To get out of a slump requires that you take what motivational speaker Anthony Robbins calls “massive action.”
How to implement this strategy: Decide how much
activity you think you really need to get fully out of your slump. Then do at
least twice that amount.
Step 3: Keep doing it. The second reason people fail is that they
give up to early.
Not everything you try will work. If you try one thing, then a second,
then a third, and they all fail, do you give up? No. You try something else.
Eventually one thing works OK. Another works better. And before you know it,
you’re well on the road to turning your situation around.
But don’t just forge ahead blindly.
Evaluate the results of each effort. A corollary to step 3 is: do more of
what’s working, less of what’s not working.
There you have it: 3 steps ... 7
words. Simple? Yes. Do the work? Absolutely. Try it and see for yourself.
About
the author:
Robert
W. Bly is a freelance copywriter and the author of more than 50 books including
Count Your Blessings (Thomas Nelson).
His tape #826, “How to Get Out of a Slump,” is available for $10 (list price:
$15) from ETR.
###