Feeling "Stuck"

“There’s nothing I can do.”

“I feel trapped in this situation.”

“I don’t have what it takes.”

“I just can’t get motivated.”

Have you ever had thoughts like the ones above, about a specific situation or certain aspect of life? Have you ever just felt STUCK and found it difficult to see an actionable path forward or in a different direction?

If you’re like most people, the answer is yes, at least sometimes.

"Stuck" is a tough place to be - it saps your energy, increases your self-doubt, and it’s simply just heavy. If you are a leader of people, this can be exacerbated when the team as a whole is in “stuck” mode and energy levels or morale is waning. Progress and productivity can come to a halt as people become less confident, less optimistic and less willing to make decisions and take risks.?

So how can you go from “stuck” to “un-stuck”?

Below are some tips for what you can do for yourself and for those you lead to empower a sense of agency, choice, and capability to make positive change.

• First, a good place to start when you’re feeling stuck is to first identify and acknowledge how you’re feeling.

Pinpoint where you’re feeling like things are out of your control or difficult to influence, and make a point to affirm where it is reasonable and understandable to feel the way you do about the situation or circumstance. Do this also for others if you are in a position of leadership. Just giving yourself and others grace to feel natural feelings of frustration when things aren’t going well can be both cathartic and empowering.

• Now that you’ve reminded yourself that you’re human (and that’s okay), the next step you can take is to call to mind where you’ve succeeded in the past.

Chances are, the obstacle you are facing is not the only challenge you’ve ever had to overcome. Think back to a time when you were able to succeed in the face of adversity, or where you came out ahead when at first you weren’t sure how you would even begin. Visualize these past moments - what skills, knowledge or experience did you use to make progress? Who or what helped you? move forward? Then ask: How can I/we capitalize on those same or similar strengths and resources in our current situation to make a difference in the outcome?

• Next, challenge your own beliefs - about the situation, your capabilities, your influence, etc. Ask yourself questions like:

What’s a different way of looking at this situation?

If I asked someone else, how would they describe my options/choices?

If I were successful anyway (despite the obstacle), what would be the likely cause of my success?

If someone were to ask me to give them advice on what to do here, what might I offer?

What haven’t I tried that I’m willing to test out?

For more tips on challenging your beliefs and assumptions, here is a link to a great article on building this skill.

• Lastly, supportive mentors, trusted colleagues and empowering coaches can be amazing resources for you as well if you’re feeling stuck and need help in identifying how to move ahead. Don't be afraid to ask for help and leverage the perspectives of those around you. Partnering with someone to help you gain more insight and identify opportunities you may not yet see may be the catalyst you need to take a step in a new direction.

What other strategies have worked for you? Please feel free to share your tips and thoughts with others in the Comments!

Let’s move forward together!

- Leslie