If you’ve read a few of my blog posts, you’ll know I love a good metaphor. Here’s another one to think about.
Recently, I saw an Instagram post by Gary Vaynerchuck that was simple, direct, and maybe exactly what I needed to hear:
“Stop rolling in [insert expletive] mud.”
In the video, he talks about how the world is full of hogs and pigs rolling in their mud – people who constantly complain about their job, relationships or circumstances but never take action to change them. They vent about how unfair life is but stay exactly where they are, comfortable in their misery.
His point was clear.
We all go through tough times – burnout, setbacks, disappointments, unfair situations. But at some point, we have to choose. Are we going to keep rolling in our mud, or are we going to get up and move forward?
The more we dwell on negativity, the more it defines us. The longer we sit in the mud, the more we make it part of our identity. And the longer we stay there, the harder it is to remember that we have the power to get up and leave.
This message really made me think:
Have I been rolling in my mud?
I’ve been in the mud for a while, for sure. But I’m already standing up. And now, I’m almost ready to walk away.
Recognising When You’re in the Mud
For me, burnout was my mud.
At first, I needed to sit with it – to understand why it happened, what it was trying to teach me. And that was important.
Processing it, feeling it, learning from it – that’s necessary.
But at some point I realised I wasn’t just processing any more – I was holding onto it.
I kept replaying what led me here. I kept worrying about what my manager would think when I returned. I kept questioning if I’d ever feel like “myself” again.
I wasn’t just experiencing burnout. I was keeping myself connected to it, almost as if I needed to prove – to myself or others – that it was real, that it mattered, that I had suffered.
But I see it clearly now:
I’m not one of those pigs happily rolling in my mud.
I’m not someone who just complains and stays stuck.
I’ve been processing – and now, I’m almost ready to move forward.
I needed this time. I needed to work through it, to clear out the weight of everything I’d been carrying. And now, I have a plan. I know what’s next.
I also know that while I am moving forward, I’m not leaving this experience behind completely.
I’m still fascinated by burnout – not because I want to relive it, but because it’s so complex and affects so many people. So of course I will still blog about it – if my experience can help someone else find their way out of the mud faster, then I want to keep sharing my reflections and learnings.
But that’s not me staying stuck in the mud. That’s me using what I’ve learned to help someone else get up sooner than I did.
How to Stop Rolling in Your Mud and Move Forward
Recognise when you’re holding onto something longer than necessary.
Not every hard period is rolling in the mud – sometimes we do need time to process and heal. But eventually, the difference becomes clear:
- Processing is working through something with the intention of learning and moving forward.
- Rolling in your mud is replaying the same thoughts and emotions without any progress.
Ask yourself:
Am I still learning from this, or am I just reliving it?
Is this helping me move forward, or am I keeping myself stuck?
If you’re still gaining clarity and making sense of things, that’s part of the journey. But if you already know the lesson and you’re just staying in the story, it might be time to step forward.
Shift from “why” to “what’s next.”
When you’re in the mud, your thoughts are usually focused on:
- Why did this happen to me?
- Why is this so unfair?
- Why do I feel this way?
The fastest way out? Shift the focus to what’s next.
- Instead of: Why did this happen to me?
→ Try: What am I going to do now? - Instead of: Why do I feel this way?
→ Try: What small step can I take to move forward?
Even if it’s just one small action – writing down what you want, sending that email, making that phone call, deciding to drop an unhelpful thought – action shifts energy.
And even the smallest step forward is better than circling the same thought for the hundredth time.
Shake Off the Mud Before You Walk Away
You can’t just walk away from the mud while it’s still clinging to you. You have to shake it off first.
That means getting all the frustration, exhaustion, anger, grief – whatever’s left inside of you – OUT.
- Journaling – Getting every unfiltered thought onto paper so it stops circling in your mind.
- Talking it out – With someone who will just listen – no fixing, no solutions, just space.
- Letting it move through your body – Crying, screaming, punching a pillow, shaking it out.
Because if you don’t, it stays stuck in you. And stuck energy keeps you rolling in the mud even when you think you’ve stepped out of it.
Accept that you don’t need to prove anything.
A big reason we keep rolling in our mud is because we want validation – from our boss, our family, our peers, even from ourselves.
We want someone to say:
- Yes, you worked hard enough.
- Yes, you’re good enough.
- Yes, your burnout was justified.
- Yes, you’re allowed to rest now.
But the truth is – you don’t need permission.
You don’t need to explain why you’re stepping out of the mud. You can just decide you’re done.
Final Thought
The Mud Will Always Be There – But You Don’t Have to Stay In It
The mud – the excuses, the justifications, the endless venting without action – will always be there. It’s easy to stay in it, to keep replaying the same complaints over and over.
But at some point, the focus has to shift to shaking it off and moving forward.
That doesn’t mean ignoring what you’ve been through – it means choosing to stop replaying it once the lesson has been learned.
- You can catch yourself earlier.
- You can shift into what’s next faster.
- You can let go of what you can’t control and focus on what you can.
At any moment, you can decide: I’m moving forward.
Have You Ever Realised You Were Keeping Yourself Stuck in the Mud?
What helped you break free?
Leave a comment – I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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