How to know when you’re stuck in a rut and how to get out

Mike Meiers: “It’s easy to forget how far you’ve come. Seeing it in black and white can shake you out of your slump.” Photo: Felipe Furtado/Unsplash

Every songwriter hits walls. Mike Meiers shares five clear strategies to recognise, confront, and confidently move beyond those creative blocks

Even the most experienced creatives encounter roadblocks. In songwriting, these moments can feel particularly disheartening – when ideas stall, progress grinds to a halt, and your instrument begins to gather dust. But creative ruts aren’t signs of failure; they’re signals that something needs to change. Recognising that moment – and knowing how to navigate through it – can make all the difference.

Few understand this better than Mike Meiers. An Emmy Award-winning composer, songwriter, and guitar coach, Mike has worked across the music industry, from television and film to independent collaborations. Since founding Songwriting For Guitar in 2020, he has helped thousands of guitarists develop their skills and build lasting creative momentum. In this feature, he discusses how to recognise when you’re stuck, and how to move forward with purpose…

Read more tips on getting started or restarted

You sit down with your guitar, hoping for magic, but instead, what comes out is uninspiring at best. You realize you’re in a rut. You start to question everything. And if left unchecked, that tiny rut can snowball into months of inaction. But you don’t have to stay stuck. Here are five things to try that might just help you out of a jam…

1. FIND A GUIDE

The quickest way out of a rut is outside perspective. A mentor, someone who’s been in your shoes, can help you see what’s actually working and where you might be spinning your wheels. It’s like having a creative GPS.

2. REFLECT TO RESET

No mentor? Grab a notebook. Write down what you’ve been doing, songs you’ve started, ideas you’ve explored, skills you’ve been improving. It’s easy to forget how far you’ve come. Seeing it in black and white can shake you out of your slump.

Mike Meiers: “Songwriting doesn’t have to be a lonely grind. Creativity thrives in collaboration.”

3. LET THE GOOD MOMENTS SINK IN

And don’t forget to celebrate those wins. Seriously. Studies show it takes about 15 seconds for a positive moment to stick in your brain, so next time you land a tricky chord change, finish a song, or crush a melody, bask in that win for at least 15 seconds. Let it sink in. You’ve earned it.

4. DON’T GO IT ALONE

Another game-changer is community. Songwriting doesn’t have to be a lonely grind. Creativity thrives in collaboration, so reach out, share ideas, and let that energy pull you forward.

5. REFUEL YOUR CREATIVITY AWAY FROM THE GUITAR

And when all else fails, step away from the guitar and fill your creative tank. Read a book. Watch an obscure documentary. Go to an art museum. Inspiration doesn’t just come from music, it comes from life. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective to reignite your spark.
Ruts happen to everyone. But they don’t have to last forever. Shake up your routine, shift your mindset, and before you know it, you’ll be back to writing songs that excite you again.

To learn more about how Mike can help you unlock the power of your guitar to write killer songs, head over to songwritingforguitar.com – Aaron and Duncan also had the pleasure of joining Mike on a recent episode of his podcast, which you can listen to on spotify.com

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