Are you in a rut?

A rut is a routine of normalcy that restricts your personal growth.

If you’re in a rut, you’re not LIVING, you’re DYING.

Has life become just one boring old routine, repeated day after day?

Unfortunately, Slowlane life is defined by rutful behavior; wake up, shower, get dressed, fight traffic, work at the office for 8 hours, come home, watch 2 hours of American Idol and Law and Order, go to sleep, then repeat … and repeat, for oh, 40 years. Fastlaners can suffer the same trap with different circumstances.

If you feel your life has fallen into a rut, here are some things you can do in the next 12 days to escape, and forever change the trajectory of your life.

You didn’t sign up for a life existence of mediocrity; it’s time to escape your rut!

1) Quit the Thing that is Killing You.

Smoking cigarettes. Dealing weed. Drunk driving. That freaking job and the required weekly TPS reports. That midnight binge of custard doughnuts chased down by a can of Coke.

You know exactly what you’re doing that is killing you, and yet, you keep doing it. Wealth is about health and once you destroy that, no amount of money, fulfillment, or positive thinking will change it.

Protect your health and you protect your wealth, now and in the future.

2) Register to Join a Team or a League

Join a team of strangers: a co-ed softball team, a bowling league, or the tennis club. Get out and meet people OUTSIDE your circle and while doing so, you benefit by virtue of better health through physical activity. You can never stop introducing new people into your social circle. People are like roads; good people open new roads of opportunity while the bad ones open roads of distress.

While throwing strikes or swinging volleys, you might meet your next business partner, your next best friend, or your next ex-wife (*smirk*). (Resources: Craigslist, Sportsvite.com)

3) Register to Take a Class

Expand your horizons and take a class at your local community college. Cooking. Photoshop 1.0. Creative writing. Pick something that interests you. Double points if that interest can make you money or translate into a business asset. Whatever it is, get out and learn something new by investing in yourself.

Additionally, re-read #2 — you might meet a classmate that opens a new road for you; your future spouse, best friend, or business partner.

4) Cancel the damn cable TV

Face it. If you watch hours and hours of television you’re probably a loser who needs TV because your own life sucks. Since your life sucks, Snookie, American Idol finalist #3, and Dexter represent an interesting diversion from your uninteresting life.

Cancel the TV and make your own life something OTHER PEOPLE would want to watch.

I don’t watch a lot of TV because I’ve created a life worth living, one that doesn’t need a fairytale escape that airs every Wednesday at 8pm. Create your own life worth living and stop watching others live theirs. Time is your most precious asset and rest assured, on your deathbed your dying regret won’t be “I wish I watched more TV” — it will be something you didn’t do, compliments to the 9 years you spent glued to the tube.

5) Read A “Red-Pill” Book

After dumping the TV, you’re going to free up a lot of time. Great. Next, find a “red-pill” book to read.

Every week I receive reader raves for my book, The Millionaire Fastlane, “YOUR BOOK CHANGED MY LIFE!”

Yes, a book can change your life and cause you to change your belief system, causing you to act and see differently. From the moment the book is read, it changes your life forever because you see in a new shade of color. Think THE RED PILL from the Matrix; you can take the blue pill and go on your merry-way, or take the red-pill and never be the same again. Some books have the power to do this and I like to think that my book is just one of those. Go find your “red pill” book!

6) Do Something That Frightens You

Speak in front of a group. Jump off that cliff. Ask out that hot chick at the gym.

Success is found outside of your comfort zone.

If you aren’t willing to expand your horizons and get uncomfortable, you aren’t willing to grow into the person you need to become. Years ago I was fearful of public speaking; now, I am not. I conquered the fear by action, and realized that the fear itself was greater than the reality. Once you feel the accomplishment of conquering the fear, it becomes less of an obstacle to your success.

7) Volunteer For Those Less Fortunate

Help someone who truly needs it. The old folks home. The orphanage. Step outside of your tiny world and see how lucky you and I have it. In other words, learn to be unselfish as it is one of the most important Fastlane concepts you can learn. Recognizing the needs of others is a conduit into providing value.

Then learn gratitude.

Your life ain’t so bad. Sure, that flat tire on the freeway caused you to walk 2 miles, but do you know how many people can’t walk at all? And would love to walk 2 miles? Do you know how many people who don’t have a car? Who don’t have a job to pay for the car? Gratitude is a forefather to happiness. Volunteer and you will learn selflessness and gratitude, two great character traits that will serve you for a lifetime.

8) Live Your Dream for a Moment

Whatever your dream, try to live it for a moment. Go test drive that dream car of yours. Take a ride on that stallion you’ve always wanted. Drive through that multimillion dollar neighborhood. Whatever dream you envision, try to make it real for a moment, a minute, or an hour. FEEL IT.

I remember when I saw my first Lamborghini years ago; it turned a fantasy into a tangible reality that I wanted for myself, and it forever changed my life.

9) Change Your Diet TODAY

The first step to better health, and wealth, is your diet. Change it today and see how you feel. Dump the Ben-n-Jerrys, the Coke, and the McDonald’s Super-Size Combo–all the garbage that is slowing you down and making you look and feel like shit. If you feel better (and look better) you will be better motivated to accomplish your goals. You will be happy. Note to ACTION FAKERS, I said change your diet — NOT go on a diet. One is temporary. The other is a lifestyle.

10) Join A Gym

Reread #9. If you feel and look better, you will accomplish more. Reread #4. It will expand your social circle and possibly open a new road.

11) Take That Big Risk You’ve Been Putting Off

You know what it is.

It whispers in your ear at night.

It screams at you during the day at work.

You think about it all day … you know, that nagging RISK you want to take, but just can’t convince yourself to do it. Maybe you want to quit your job and join the Peace Corps. Maybe it’s a miserable marriage and you want to file for divorce. Maybe it’s a relocation across the country. Whatever it is, DECIDE to do it and then PLAN for it’s execution. You don’t have to QUIT today, but COMMIT today. And then ACTION TAKE, not ACTION FAKE.

12) Meditate on Your Deathbed

Fast forward to your deathbed and meditate in that moment. What regrets will you have ?

“Oooh I wish I would have worked longer?” or ” I wish I would have watched more TV?”

Months ago I wrote a blog post entitled “Letters to Your Younger Self” and it asked OLD YOU to write a letter to YOUNG YOU. What would you say? If you had 1 week left to live, what regrets would you have? Expose those regrets and tackle them TODAY while you are young and transform those regrets into memories.

What simple things can you DECIDE to do NOW that can change your life forever?