Stuck in the Middle

Stuck in the Middle

At one point or another, you’ve been stuck. Maybe it was in an apartment you’d outgrown, a relationship that’d run its course, or a job you’d begun to loathe. This sense of “stuckness,” as Adam Alter refers to it in his new book, Anatomy of a Breakthrough, is universal and inevitable; it’s as human as procrastinating on filing your taxes. “To be alive is to battle stuckness,” Alter writes.?

Is there anything we can do about that stuckness? Or are we just meant to languish in these fallow periods, waiting for something or someone to push us forward? Alter, a professor of marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business, tells us that breaking out of a rut isn’t easy. But while feeling suspended in life, love, or work can be painful and demoralizing, there are specific steps you can take to get yourself out of a funk.

For today’s Wake-Up Call at Work, we’re bringing you a wealth of clever tips from the best-selling author, aimed at breaking down why we all struggle with stagnation, and what we can do to move past a plateau — or even engineer that elusive a-ha moment. Alter shares what he calls his “strategic guide in the war against stuckness,” offering psychologist-approved ideas for kickstarting a hot streak. And he suggests ways to surround yourself with teammates who’ll challenge and inspire you. Here’s to fresh discoveries and a sense of unlimited possibility.


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Get a Move On

Over the past few years, Alter’s asked hundreds of people if there’s an area of their lives where they feel frozen… and all of them have answered “yes.” In this interview, he explains why such a common experience often feels so intensely isolating —?and shares the most effective thing you can do to get yourself unstuck.?


A Beautiful Mess

What can Jackson Pollock teach us about how to kick-start a hot streak? A whole lot, Alter says. The author explains the one strategy the artist used to reach the most fertile moment of his creative life and how (even if you never plan on picking up a paintbrush —?or consider Pollock’s drip paintings kinda meh) you can use these techniques to inspire your own burst in productivity.?


Teamwork Makes the Dream Work?

Becoming stuck isn’t just a solo activity — it’s something that happens in teams all the time, says Alter. In fact, a group can be hung up on the same problem for years. Alter explains why hiring a “black sheep” and other specific personality types can help organizations get out of a creative rut.?


Stick with us for more insights and advice from the best minds in business, brought to you in partnership with Think with Google . Make sure you don’t miss the next Wake-Up Call at Work, by?subscribing here.?








Isaac Bhatti

Physiotherapist

1 年

I Actavia run a Orphan children Foundation. I am taking care of orphan children and the poorest as they are helpless and want to give up life. Being a senior citizen of pakistan I have seen in my life that middle class and rich people use the children, do sexual abuse because children need money . So children forget their childhood. It is our duty to save children , respect the children because they are our nation, our future, weapon . I am in pain that what is going on with children. we have to look in depth. Because we are responsible. Now Net is a evil and big devil in the world. They created isolation in lives and life is getting worse in these days. Now we have to save lives, children and have to encourage children to become a respected person of society. here we have to think for one glass of water for innocents. Regards, Actavia Farhat +923366809809

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STAR ANI

Saintly Product Project - Clean No Sacrament Freelance Sovereign

1 年

Identify the obstacles

Brett Strauss

Owner Pure Nutrients

1 年

Story of my life. thanks for the help and advice

JoAnne Ernsberger

Equissential Insights - Creative Strategist, Culture Refining / Corporate Trainer / EAL Practitioner - Innovative Programs For Leaders, Teams, Families with Results!

1 年

At Equissential Growth, we run a workshop called "Assumptions and Expectations" - I wrote this workshop to help folks manage change, and to become more resilient. Why and how do horses feature in this? < common query :) Horses have survived by efficient 'herd management dynamics' (think Equine HR Department). What we can learn from them is deep, Corporate work, personal development, every sector can benefit. Inquire how we can assist. Katie Couric, if you're reading this, Your Session Is Complimentary :) ~ JoAnne Ernsberger

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