Feeling stuck? You’re probably stuck on one of these: direction, motivation or alignment. Here’s how to identify which one you’re experiencing and some ways to get unstuck.
Direction
This is when you don’t know what you want. There is more than one option and you don’t know which one to pursue.
Here are two questions that I like to ask when I’m direction stuck:How will I feel after a year of doing this?
What will make the best story?
Two simple questions that get help get to the core of what you want.
Motivation (or lack of it)
This is when you know what you want, you know what to do, but you’re not doing it. The simple framework that I come back to every time is one that I heard from Sahil Bloom:
Movement -> Momentum -> Motivation
We get stuck because of overwhelm, fear or some other feeling we’re trying to avoid. Instead of waiting for motivation to kick in, we just need to take one step in that direction. Don’t try to tackle the whole thing; just one step in the right direction.
One step in the right direction is followed by another. We stack a few of those steps together, and we have some momentum. Once we feel the momentum, things get easier, the excitement grows, and we’re motivated to put the work into it.
Instead of waiting to feel motivated, start with one easy step of movement in the right direction.
Alignment
This is when we’re doing the work. We’re productive. Output is high.
But we’re working on the wrong things.
Finding alignment takes a bit more work because we need to pull back and get a broader perspective. The key is having a reference point to continuously come back to.
I created a simple one-page plan for this 10 years ago. I update it quarterly and review it almost daily.
The one-page plan includes my core values and my definition of success, along with specific targets or goals. Reviewing them regularly helps align my actions with my intentions.
If you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself which kind of stuck you’re feeling.
Interested in trying out the one-page plan for yourself? Email me and I'll set you up with the worksheets I use with my coaching clients.