Most people have had the experience of being stuck at some point. You know those times where you are working really hard to move things forward but feel like nothing is changing. Often in those moments you feel frustrated and wonder why things are not working. Feeling like this is challenging but can be a turning point depending on how we respond.
When you find yourself feeling stuck, it is important to do a number of things. First, evaluate if this goal is still important to accomplish. Over time, what seemed like a promising idea, or was a priority, has become overshadowed by other goals that are a higher priority. Our circumstances may have changed, or we might have new information that changes the best course forward. If so, be willing to shift time and resources to other priorities and accept the delay or closing of that goal.
Next consider if you may need help from someone else to move forward. Sometimes, the knowledge, skills sets, or insights might require involving someone else on your team, or someone outside your organization. Being wise means knowing when to seek out input or help from others. This is not a reflection on your ability, but rather means that finding a path forward often involves collaboration.
You may be holding back from acting because you do not have all the information you want to make the decision. In a world where we are flooded with information, we have access to more data than ever before. The challenge is making sense of the data and using it wisely. You may never have enough proof or evidence, but you can make a really good decision that will allow you to keep the process moving.
Sometimes we are stuck because there is not anything else we can do, and we need to wait for things to unfold. Instead of just going in circles trying to move things ahead, learn to ask, “Is there anything I can do now?” The answer helps clarify if there is a productive way to move forward. If the answer is no, then release the process and move to other priorities where you can impact the outcome.
What are the areas where you feel “stuck”? Consider how to move from being stuck to creating new paths forward. We can move beyond frustration, we can engage others, and we can reprioritize or pause our efforts to ensure that we are applying ourselves where we can make the greatest difference. Your time and abilities are precious resources that should be redirected to activities that produce momentum.
