4 Principles to Get Unstuck

At one time or another most of us have experienced being stuck. Maybe stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire or stuck on a waiting list for tickets to a concert. More importantly, maybe you have been stuck in a personal or professional work pattern that feels as unpleasant as the sound of a needle stuck in the scratch on a vinyl record. You desperately want to break out of it and move towards something new, something better. The truth is, we all get stuck at some point. It’s a very human experience. Growth and learning comes from the journey of working to become “unstuck.” But how exactly do you do that? Here are four principles that can help.

Expand your perspective. There are times when you are limited by short-sighted narratives. It’s easy to see a current experience as a short story with a single meaning or message. But the reality is that it’s part of a larger composition, like a book is made up of chapters containing paragraphs of detailed thoughts, ideas and happenings. In order to see the full landscape, leverage a broader perspective and gain visibility of the bigger story.

Walk with someone. Nothing elevates and broadens your perspective like walking with another person or community. Walking with others can provide additional presence. Think about what it means to be on a quest. Quests inherently carry an emphasis on the journey as opposed to the destination. You are a traveler and finding others to travel with is important for becoming unstuck. The presence of others along the way decreases the negative effects of isolation and increases the capacity of your own emotional reservoir and imagination to sustain and navigate the journey. 

Recognize there can be many stops along the way. For example, when you are on a journey it’s not all about leaving location A and arriving at location B. A journey has stops along the way, making for a full-on adventure between where you start and where you arrive. It’s the in-between where the best stories and learning actually live. There’s value in each stop and that’s where insights, growth and true opportunity come from.

Create your story, leveraging those who can help you craft it. The stories we tell ourselves and others profoundly shape us and your story is important. Be intentional about creating and engaging your own personal network of those who can offer specific expertise, guidance, and knowledge gained through their own experiences.

You are uniquely qualified as the author of your own story. When you find your needle is stuck in a groove, use these tools to keep the journey moving. Remember your story is of value, so go ahead and “unstuck yourself” and start that forward movement again.