Are you stuck? You know the feeling: Like you’re caught in the trap of bad circumstances, bad decisions, constant failing, or—even worse—limbo.
Have you fallen into a trap and given up? Is the glue in the trap holding fast?
I know, it feels gross. I’ve been stuck before. The good news is: you can get unstuck.
To unstick, however, it’s important to understand how you got stuck in the first place. Here are a few of the typical getting stuck tipping points:
- You don’t make decisions.
When you avoid decisions, you put yourself ina constant state of idling. Avoidance may feel nice for a moment; and then it gets you nowhere. Making decisions is a part of life. Life is messy already. Not making a decision invites more chaos in. So get on with it and make some decisions. Here’s how:
- Set a deadline.
- Make your decision based on your values. Then, it’ll always be the right decision.
- Look ahead and make sure your decision today aligns with where you want to go in the future.
The longer you leave it, the longer you are stuck. So, decide already!
- You play the blame game.
When you blame others for your circumstances, you avoid responsibility. Sure, that can feel light. But it gets you nowhere. Here’s the truth: Everyone has shit. Everyone’s been mistreated, taken advantage of, and at one time or another. For each person, it sucked. Maybe you had horrible parents or were bullied at school. Perhaps you lack talent or education. Maybe your business is sinking. Whatever your shit and whyever it happened, the important thing to remember is: you cannot control what others did to you; you can control your reaction to it. So let it go, move on, and don’t let it paralyze you. Your past does not define you.
If it is something you can change like lack of education or talent – do something about it. There are lots of free workshops and webinars – start googling and stop whining. Take responsibility for you life. With Great responsibility comes great power – Use your power!!
The longer you hold on to blame, the longer it will keep you stuck. So, stop blaming already!
- You’re focused on what stinks.
When you focus on the negative, you get negative. It’s that simple. The glass that is half empty is refillable. Always. Your attitude is a choice. Focus on the negative or focus on the positive: you choose.
- You’re waiting for perfection.
You want things to be perfect, so you wait and wait and wait to make decisions, to take action, to go after dreams. Listen honey, the stars are NEVER aligned. Ever. The pursuit of perfection will take you down the rabbit hole where anxiety and negative thinking rules.
Letting perfection go isn’t easy. Here are a few tips:
- Stop worrying about what others think. Being perfect is likely tied to the need to impress others. The only person you have to impress is you.
- Focus on being effective and practical instead of perfect. On paper 90% looks as good as 100%. Life is the same.
- Embrace imperfection. We are all imperfect, be proud that you completed your task, protectionism destroys productivity.
If you’re feeling stuck, unstick by doing something different than what you’re doing now. Because what you’re doing now isn’t working. Start small. Even tiny changes can compel radical change.
If you are still having challenges, reach out. We all get stuck. And unsticking is hard to do alone.