How To Get Yourself Unstuck

It doesn’t matter if you’re an artist, an inventor, or a shoe salesman. There are times when you’re stuck, unable to move forward with a big project or something on your to-do list.

Here are four ways to get going:

  1. Just start. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? But you can’t get moving until you start to move. It doesn’t matter what you do; grab a pen, contribute a thought, start a conversation. The momentum will follow.
  2. Get in touch. Sometimes, taking a deep breath and getting in touch with what you’re ultimately trying to accomplish can help you identify the one thing that might be getting in your way.
  3. Ask for help. Sometimes you need to get out of your own way to see things clearly. Ask the people around you for some advice on what to do first. Allowing yourself to detach from your own thinking and consider someone else’s perspective may give you the shift you need.
  4. Take a walk. Taking time away can open new ways of thinking. Go for a walk, outside if possible. Notice your surroundings, listen to nature, and recharge your brain.

Sometimes just one of these techniques will do the trick; other times it may take a combination. Whatever helps you get unstuck is fine. The point here is to take one step outside the space called “being stuck” and see what happens.