Sometimes we just feel stuck. Not that anything is really wrong, but more the sense that we’re not going anywhere. That place where you sense that things are OK, but not great. Where it seems like you are just going through the motions.
Dependable and reliable, yes.
Consistent, absolutely.
But not necessarily bringing your A-game.
I know the feeling. For me, this usually happens after an event is over, about 10 days to two weeks later. I usually just feel stuck at that point. I have a hard time being creative, being intentional, getting things done, moving the ball forward and making decisions.
I feel like I’m walking in knee-deep mud at these points.
Another time of the year many of us feel stuck is mid-winter. For you, it could be late summer or just after a big project has been completed.
If so, here are a few things to do:
1. Get out of your “normal” routine.
Break up your schedule. Go on a trip. Visit someone you’ve wanted to see for quite a while. Hang out with people you don’t know but want to learn from.
The key on this is break up your “normal” with something that is out of place, out of context or just simply breaks up the rhythm—makes you see things from a different vantage point.
For me, when I travel, it usually “unsticks” me.
2. Go back to the basics.
Sports teams will go back to the basics to get out of a rut. In football, it’s back to “blocking and tackling,” or in basketball, it’s back to “passing, dribbling and shooting.”
For you, this could mean a number of things, but in essence, returning to the foundations of what you do, why you do it and how you are uniquely designed to be doing what you are doing.
3. Jump on the inspiration train.
When I get stuck, I usually take time to find some stories of inspiration, read some emails, watch some videos and allow myself to be re-inspired and re-energized. Jump on the TED website and search for some inspirational talks.
4. Talk with someone who motivates you.
I also like to make sure I find some time to spend on the phone or in person with people who inspire me, because they usually can pull me out of my funk that I’m in.
Make sure you have some people in your life who are motivators and inspiration icons—when you are around them it just fires you up. Could be a friend, a boss, a mentor or someone you don’t know well. For me, I’ll call Bob Goff. If you know Bob, you know what I mean!
