Getting unstuck

Occasionally as you pursue your passion you're going to feel plain ol' stuck, pure and simple. Here's something I wrote a couple years ago with some ideas for getting unstuck:

There will be times in your journey when you feel inextricably stuck. It’s a natural part of the process. How to get unstuck could (and does) fill whole books, but here is a smattering of ideas to try.

Keep your feet moving: The surest way to stay stuck is to stop moving. Back up and look at different possibilities. Try different solutions to the problem you are encountering. Be willing to experiment and learn.

Brainstorm: Alone or together with others, come up with as many ideas as you can for different ways to move your feet.

Break it down: Look at the obstacle you are encountering. Break it down into pieces and think of ways you might find your way around each individual piece. Concentrate on the pieces you can wrap your arms around and make progress with.

Say it out loud: Describe to someone else what the problem seems to be that you are encountering. Sometimes simply the process of going through it out loud can lead you to a way through it.

Check for assumptions: Write out what’s happening. Where are you stuck? What is getting in the way? Why can’t you get around it? Once you’re done, take a look at what you’ve written. For each separate thought, ask yourself what assumptions you are making. Are there any that aren’t valid?

Walk backwards: Look forward to where you want to be and backtrack through the steps that would need to be taken to get there.

Future focus: Instead of spending your time focusing on why you can’t do something right now, redirect your focus to where you want to go as though you were already there. You may have heard the saying that what you focus on grows. Stop focusing on the stuckness and try focusing on what you're trying to accomplish.

Have any other suggestions?

Curt Rosengren
Passion Catalyst ^SM

Comments

[Julie Hubert]

Curt,

I think,at times, you need to step away from the intended focus completely for a few days. All of the steps that you provided are great for moving toward the "big picture". I find that I can be so action focused that I need to put some balance back into my life and have some fun. I return to the tasks at hand with a renewed sense.

[lori richardson]

I encourage people to go somewhere totally different outside of their normal environment. Once I got an amazing idea that solved a large business issue by going to an art museum and just absorbing the creativity, which indirectly sparked my own internally.

[Martin]

The 'and now something completly different' approach was most helpfull to me too in many situations. Sometimes it is really best to NOT focus on 'the goal' at all.

[Mary Beth]

Sometimes when I'm stuck, I make a little space and do some small project that is unrelated to the first. Something small in scale that will be easy to complete AND fun or at least energizing. Having something that you can accomplish is a great feeling and I think it's a good idea to really take your mind off the "stuck" thing as much as possible. Meanwhile you're subconscious can chew that bone without you.

[Hailey]

I think when you are stuck at some point and have tried all the methods you could think of and still couldn\'t work out, try to learn how others solved the same problem. Maybe it\'ll helpful.

[Coach Eric]

Fear often stops us, Curt. I like to ask my coaching clients "What's the worst that will happen if you do this? What else might happen?". Usually, they chuckle a little when they realize that what's stopping them is them, not the situation.

[Adam]

Curt, I agree with the idea that so often you are the obstacle to success. Personally I've noticed that I place so much blame on external sources when in reality it is my own inability or hesitation to achieve success. Often so much of that is a fear in some form. To me, keeping reminders of future success is beneficial- pictures, words, scultptures, whatever it takes to remind you of what you are working towards. Also, I suggest seeking help. I've recently enlisted friends to work out with, a personal counselor to help me overcome personal obstacles, mentors, spiritual advisors, etc. It's important to recognize when you need help, and to accept that we can't achieve our dreams on our own. Remember that old adage, I cannot be an island...

[Constance]

Hi Curt,
I happened upon your site just by googling in "unstuck" and I think your advice is wonderful. I am a single mom of one and I have felt wanderlust since I was a small child. I am trying to live my dreams but everywhere I go, someone tries to keep me stuck in one place. I did all that 9 to 5 and school tuition and rat race thing for many years and now that my kid is almost grown, I want us to enjoy life together. Thanks for the info, I need to know I am either on the right track (and I can do this) or more info and details of how to stay on target.
I am trying to live life on purpose! I also invite you to my site(s) and/or blog(s):
http://divaslife.blogspot.com ,
www.starpages.net/constanze,
myspace.com/thedivaslife

[Trusha Desai]

Sometimes getting stuck, career wise or otherwise is like getting swamped, literally, in marsh land. Forget the big picture, one cannot think of anything other getting out of the immediate chaos. And that's when first to keep one's feet moving, tap dance, swirl, jog, do whatever it takes to get and move on.