Have you felt stuck?

Have you been stuck before? I mean mentally stuck, unable to move forward with an idea.

Maybe you’re not totally stuck. You may just be stalled in a portion of your life.

Ever wondered how to move forward?

In January 2013, I was stuck.
I was totally staring at the proverbial wall. I began to wonder:

• Why was I stopped here?
• Where did my joy go?
• What was I going to do?

I felt like I was caught in a people size hamster wheel routine.
Get up. Go to work. Work. Come home. Mix in a little food. Go to sleep. Do it all over again. Pause, have two days without this routine. Repeat.

I lost my passion.
I felt like a drone. I felt like my life was driving me, instead of me driving my life. I decided it was time for a change, an up upheaval of my routine.

I couldn’t stay in this stuck state of mind.
I had a successful business of seven years. I was committed to my 22-year marriage. I was involved in my community. My life felt like it was in a serious rut. I’m sure you’re thinking, where is she going with all this? Sounds like her life was settled and going quite well.

My journey beyond stuck began with asking this question: what is the baseline to get out of stuck? I had settled for busyness instead of making progress toward my passion.

Stuck is…
If you’re not growing, not evolving, not creating, not developing…you are stuck! Stuck is a state of mind. Stuck is believing staying “here” is okay. Stuck is convincing yourself, or just plain not questioning the fact – you are not improving.

Now, stuck is clearly defined.

You are not alone.
I realize anyone can be stuck. I was not alone in feeling stuck! I decided there are all kinds of examples of people being stuck, and living in a rut. None of the “stuck living” examples I know are positive:

• Young people think they will “always” feel this way.
• Old people can’t face a new beginning in life.
• Single people wish they were married.
• Married people wonder if the single life would be better.
• Men wish women understood them.
• Women wish men understood them.
• Students wish they had a career.
• Employees wish they had another job.
• Business owners wish they didn’t have the responsibility of employees.
• Retirees wish they were gainfully employed.
• These are just a few examples of people in various stages of stuck. Stuck spans the ages and stages of life.

We now understand what stuck is and know everyone feels stuck at some point.

I wondered.
Hallelujah! You don’t I have to remain stuck! Getting unstuck begins with asking questions. Sometimes just a few questions will help. Sometimes many questions are required. The goal is to get out of stuck.

If being stuck means there is no forward movement, think the opposite to get things moving forward. I decided to draw on my own experiences:

• Quality engineering experience,
• Use the questions for good article writing – Why, What, How
• Years of goal setting.

How to get unstuck…
Is there a process to move out of stuck? What series of actions or questions would work? I recommend this order of questioning:

1. Why are we (doing this, feeling this, etc.)
2. What if we (took this action, tried this, etc.)
3. How can we (make this happen, budget to make this possible, etc.)
4. Review why we (took a particular course of action)
5. Can we make it better?
6. Repeat!

You are on your way to improvement and moving out of stuck.

Here’s what I learned from being stuck:

• Stuck is not moving forward or remaining in a repeat activity.
• Stuck can happen to anyone at any time.
• There is a way out if you’re willing to ask questions and take action.

Being stuck doesn’t have to be a way of life. You can change. Begin your move forward today!