Getting Unstuck & Staying Unstuck
Possibly, you’re experiencing being stuck because you’re desiring new growth and are not certain how to get there! Maybe you’re experiencing growth in one area of business but stuck in another area? Being an Entrepreneur or manager leading others can be lonely at times. Loneliness can creep in without us being aware of it or the warning signs. Fear and uncertainty can feed getting stuck. A few questions to ask are, what does being stuck look like? What are the signs of being stuck? How do you get unstuck? I will share with you nine powerful keys to thrive and stay out of being stuck!
Key One: Awareness
Awareness is a constant skill to be aware of our own mental, emotional and physical state. Awareness is a great principle to thrive as a leader. Webster’s Dictionary defines it as: “constant knowledge.” The first step to consider is explore what the warning signs of being stuck look like. Working with many different leaders over the past couple decades, I have noticed similar warning signs that are healthy to be aware of. Burying one’s head in the sand or avoiding a situation rarely gets you out of being stuck. Let’s explore some of those.
Warning Signs
1. Withdrawing from others, your team and peers.
2. No longer reading, listening to podcasts, personal development is non-existent.
3. Avoiding feedback, coaching and personal growth.
4. In resistance to your goals, dreams, vision, purpose, gifts and talents.
5. Stopped dreaming and started despising the very reason you started. Dread settles in.
6. Become negative, critical, pessimistic. Complaining and consumed with comparing.
7. Inaction and indecisiveness getting buried in clutter.
8. Breaking small commitments avoiding growth activities.
9. Increased anxiety, depression, suspicion and passivity.
10. It’s difficult to be spontaneous and explore possibilities.
Key Two: Decrease the Unknowns
Think of when the Wright brothers invented the airplane. At first, people were not lining up to board the planes. With consistency, commitment, innovation, and overcoming gravity with the law of lift and thrust, flying today is a way of life for many. Technology and training has taken lots of UNKNOWNS out of the flying experience. Elimination of the unknowns in the aviation industry is supported by brilliant people, technology, trainings, basic checklists with every flight, systems, team support and a flight plan to the specific destination. When a plan encounters air turbulence, they adjust but still FOCUS ON THE BIG PICTURE: going to the destination safely.
Key Three: Power of Environment
Have you ever heard “walk on the sunny side of the street”? Your environment is like a greenhouse for growth. Clutter and chaos or order and peace? This is a simple but profound snap-shot of environment. How about the background noise of gossip or encouragement? What about the overall team culture, is it filled with celebration and honor or negativity and dishonor? You’re one choice away from building a new greenhouse that reproduces thriving growth. Begin with cleaning up clutter and with positive quotes, fresh decor, spring cleaning, positive music. My intention was to create awareness of the power of the right environment to help you get unstuck!
Key Four: Power of Connection
Think of LEGOS: they are designed to connect. One way we can take big steps forward out of the spiral of feeling stuck is being intentional to connect with others. The giant sequoia trees stand tall and thrive through storms because their roots are interconnected! When a LEGO is surrounded by other LEGOS, it stays engaged and locked in it’s purpose. In building a brick house, a brick was designed to be part of a masterpiece working together with other bricks building a wall to withstand storms, protecting the building it surrounds while simultaneously displaying architecture. Foster connection with people who are for you, celebrate you, have a heart of loyalty, and pull the best out of you! The people that surround you have can either be an elevator taking you up to the suite or a drain sucking the life from you!
Key Five: Intentional Action
We highlighted briefly some warning signs of being stuck. Allow me to highlight a few intentional steps of action to get out of being stuck and remain unstuck. We know a ship sailing the high seas is not a condition for barnacles and algae to stick to the ship. Let’s explore some keys to get unstuck.
Key Six: Feeding Momentum Staying Unstuck
1. Knowing you’re part of a bigger purpose. Knowing your goal behind the goals!
2. Feed and grow your identity with life-giving attributes.
3. Look daily with your eyes at your dream board, goals and declarations.
4. Our words form worlds; begin speaking life-giving, positive language.
5. Hire a qualified coach.
6. Surround yourself with a team. Avoid being a lone ranger.
7. Set goals fitting the S.M.A.R.T criteria.
8. Establish healthy habits to carry your goals. Ask someone for accountability.
9. Declutter your personal and business space.
10. Walk on the sunny side of the road. Daily fresh air.
Key Seven: What’s Possible Through Delegation
Consider delegating things to empower others to partner with your vision and purpose. As entrepreneurs, leaders, specialists and managers, many times the mindset can be to just do it all ourselves. Give it a go: empower others to carry the vision through delegation. Think, training for reigning! There are nine baseball players on a team because no one player can win the game without the whole team. They train, get coached, play practice games. To get unstuck and stay unstuck, invite your team to surround you so you can stay in your sweet spot! One of the best things for your team is to do what you were born to do.
Awareness Questions for Discovery:
1. Why did you start your business, organization or take on that leadership role?
2. What is that core why, the goal behind the goal that fuels you daily? Write that down!
3. What is one step of action you can take today to get unstuck? Apply some of the list in “Feeding The Momentum Section.”
4. What one self-sabotaging mindset pops its head up when you see adversity?
5. What could you do to flip the switch, feeding the positive promise of the negative mindset?
Key Eight: Recalibrate
Recalibration is a healthy process and is vital for leaders to stay unstuck. Think of your vehicle when you get a new set of tires: the mechanic balances the tires and then aligns them for maximum traction and wear and tear. Then they request after so many miles that you bring the vehicle in to rotate the tires. This is a form of recalibration to gain the maximum miles and safety.
Another example is P.D.C.A.: PLAN, DO, CHECK, ADJUST. Do a plan for a set time, then check the plan for results. Then adjust, get feedback, and pivot. Finally, recalibrate with a new plan repeating this process. Be willing to make changes.
Key Nine: Rest
Rest is a powerful part of recalibration. Think of working out, which is good. But overdoing it can do lots of damage. Set up rest stops like you would traveling on long trips! We pull in, rest, recharge, recalibrate, eat, walk and plan. Remember each leader has a different capacity; recognize what yours is without comparing with others. Rest is not idleness; rest is intentional, habitual, enjoyable, healthy, and fun. Rest feeds your creativity to solve challenges. Possibly explore a hobby or activity that allows you to reset weekly.
Final Thoughts
If you are stuck, I want to encourage you that you have a hope and a future. You’re not a failure because you feel stuck or are experiencing being stuck. Please take action today, reach forward and take one step of action today. Remember there is always a solution. You were born with a gift, with talent, and you’re worthy of connection. I also encourage you to go back and reread the blogs on our website.
Create your way to a better day, you got what it takes!
TRUFORTH would be honored to explore the possibilities with your personal and business vision!
You were born for greatness,
Ed Garner