Feeling Stuck? How to Break Free in 5 Easy Steps

Ever feel like you're spinning your wheels, craving change but convinced you're going nowhere? You're not alone—an ORACLE study found that nearly 75% of people are stuck in a rut, both at work and in their personal lives. Cracking the code on why you feel stuck is the secret sauce for breaking free.

Before we dive into solutions, picture these classic "stuck" characters and scenarios—like you’re an actor performing a role in a play!

What role have you been playing?

Character #1 - The “Saboteur.”  You want change but lack motivation, often stopping yourself from moving forward. For instance, you search online for career courses (and find lots of options) but you never sign up for any of them. You psych yourself out…literally worrying what might happen IF this ends up being a good change for you!

Character #2 - The “Doubter.”  You see opportunities that interest you but hesitate to act due to self-doubt or fear of leaving your comfort zone.  You conclude you don’t deserve a job promotion with a higher salary or bump in job title. You might think, that doesn’t happen to me it’s only for others.

Character #3 - The “What-If-er.”  You constantly think about life improvements, such as getting into healthier exercise or diet protocol, but don’t follow through or quickly give up once you start a new routine (it’s too hard!) and throw in the towel permanently.

Which character do you relate to most?  Maybe one or two rang true, but for me – I’ve played all three! To add more fuel to the fire, there are also other influencing factors that can complicate or exacerbate your feelings of being stuck.  

What influencing factors are making you feel even more stuck?

Factor #1 - Feeling concerned about others’ opinion of you may add to already existing feelings of stagnation.

When I considered starting a blog to share my experiences, I procrastinated for months, worried about how my writing would be received and afraid of revealing too much or making mistakes in a public forum.  Eventually, I realized that I couldn’t impact others if I didn’t share my stories and experiences. 

Factor #2 - You’ve experienced or are experiencing burnout or total overwhelm.

Have you found yourself feeling mentally exhausted after meeting a key work deadline or project completion? You may find yourself so tapped out that even the smallest tasks feel insurmountable.  The thought of making significant changes seems impossible.  This is simply because your energy stores are depleted.

Factor #3  - You’re finding it difficult to make decisions due to rigidity in your thinking.

If you are like many who struggle to adapt your perspective to overcome unexpected obstacles, situations or event difficult professional or social dynamics, it’s easy to freeze and/or do nothing or “peace out” - rendering you unable to move forward.

Factor #4 - You’ve lost sight of your “WHY.”

When you reconnect with your sense of purpose, staying motivated becomes much easier. Reflecting on why you work and how it benefits both you and those around you can reignite your passion. Revisiting your “why” will help you find greater happiness and deeper engagement in what you do.

Now that we’ve got all the characters and contributing factors out of our way, let’s get you from STUCK to UNSTUCK in these 5 steps.

Step #1 -  Identify what’s making you feel stuck—write down specific thoughts or situations that are holding you back.

Step #2 - Define one clear goal you want to achieve. Break this goal into smaller, manageable tasks. For example, if you feel unmotivated at work, set a task like reaching out to a colleague or updating your resume.

Step #3 - Take one small action each day toward your goal. If you notice hesitation or self-doubt, acknowledge it and try to understand where it’s coming from, perhaps by journaling or talking to a friend.

Step #4 - Regularly review your progress.   

Step #5 - Adjust your steps as needed to stay engaged.

Finally, realize that these steps allow you to become unstuck and help keep you moving forward.

#stuck #managingoverwhelm #bestpractices #professionaldevelopment