By

minute read

Are you stuck?

“I’m stuck.” It happens to each of us: we hit places in our work, in our family life, in our fitness, etc. where it feels like we have stepped into a bucket of thick glue. It’s frustrating and it often happens at just the wrong time.

Awareness Counts

Sometimes being “un-stuck” is as simple as new habits, however small and inconsequential they may seem. People become more adaptable and flexible which are great competencies for us all. Trying new ways and new things moves you to new paths – no more “stuck!” Getting outside your usual routine helps you create new thinking and action, which can equal new performance.

For example, one executive told me that she simply started showing up at meetings five minutes earlier than usual for her.  There were many benefits to this new practice, but her core insight surprised her: that paying attention to what seemed like a little detail was actually a big deal. She became excited about where else she could tend to small details that made a big difference all around her life.

Now, you try Managing Change!

Taking a small step can be difficult. But don’t wait to try.

“We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.”

Frank Tibolt, Author, Motivator and Success Trainer

Observe what happens and find learning in it

You may be surprised at what happens and the learning. Another executive asked her husband to support her fitness regimen by taking their daughter on Tuesday nights so she could go to an evening class. The surprise was the extent to which Dad and daughter enjoyed this arrangement and created “Daddy Tuesday’s”. The executive also saw how she had a tendency to hold all responsibility rather than empowering others to carry some of the load. She was quite happy to find this learning and began implementing it everywhere. Think of this as being your own company that is innovating through cross-industry experimentation, sometimes it requires looking outside your own ‘walls’ for new ways to do things.

Next time you get stuck, try your own Design Thinking

Trying new things and new ways of doing what you do day-to-day can cause you to have a breakthrough in how you see things and a breakthrough in your performance. Check out this article on design thinking for ideas on exercises you can try to stimulate new thinking and ideas.