We all find ourselves stuck at one time or another–whether it’s from fear, or feeling powerless, or just losing the confidence it takes to make the next leap (or even the next step).
Being stuck in business can be harmful to our success, and being stuck in leadership is detrimental to our influence.
It likely stems from beliefs we have about ourselves–or a lack of belief in ourselves. They may be beliefs that we adopted in hopes they would be helpful, but in time they’ve turned into obstacles. And so we find ourselves stagnant and worried about our next moves.
If you’re struggling and in need of a quick and simple way to get unstuck, here are three strategies to try.
1. Focus on positive possibilities. The root of feeling stuck most often comes from negative thinking. If you’re always worried about everything going wrong, it’s hard to steer toward good outcomes. Positive thinking can help when you feel we cannot persist. You can choose to get caught up in negativity, or you can decide to think positive thoughts and undertake positive action. You always have a choice.
2. Drop the self-judgment. If you want to be able to move forward, you are going to have to let go of self-judgment. That doesn’t mean you never analyze your behavior but that you free yourself from the kind of judgment that says you don’t deserve to move forward. You may have been trying to put forth an appearance of flawlessness in the hopes of being more deserving and accepted–but trying to be perfect means turning your back on who you really are. Your beauty lies in your imperfections. When you embrace that truth and learn to accept yourself, flaws and all, you will be able to take the necessary steps to move forward. There is no need to wear a mask, no need to judge yourself or criticize or second-guess. If you want to succeed, you have to remember you are perfectly imperfect just the way you are, then take action and do what you say you were going to do.
3. Stop attacking yourself. Being unduly hard on yourself is not going to help you get unstuck. If you’re serious about moving past stagnation, you have to remember that you are the only person responsible for your own success, and encourage yourself just as you would encourage someone else. Don’t waste time attacking yourself; start acting instead on the knowledge that your life is your own. You are in control of your future–you can take a step toward what you want or you can stay where you are. Your choice. There is no success in attacking yourself, so go the other direction and start doing what you are capable of doing.
Above all, know that only you can make things happen. No one is going to come and save you or rescue you–if you want to move forward, you are going to have to take the first step.
There will no progress without action, even if it’s a small step, and that step will have to come from you. Once you’ve started, every step that follows gets easier and easier, until eventually what had once been impossible is now reality.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.