I fall into them too and so does every crazy genius I work with. A creative rut is usually caused by confusion, or not knowing how to proceed, or mental exhaustion, or boredom, or resistance, or not playing big enough (things we have control over).
The creative work we do, inventing something from nothing, day after day, then trying to figure out how to sell it and make a buck, is mostly exhausting, and the process can be tedious, frustrating and mind-numbing. At some point it just becomes easier to slip into the “tred-grooves” of what others have already created, and just follow along. Problem is, following along the path of the status quo only compounds the problem. It supports the antique illusion that “the trend is your friend.” And while that may be true on Wall St., it’s certainly not true on your street.
Important because ruts are too often misinterpreted as failures, but they’re not. They’re an opportunity in disguise. Because “Rut Time” is the best time to recommit to your biggest dreams, rework your projects and reinvent yourself as the creative genius you are. Believe me, I know you know this. I’m just reminding (both of us) of what we tend to forget in the hoopla and drama of our awesome, creative, independent lifestyle.