Moving from Stuck to Starting

We all experience being stuck. All of us. We move through levels of stuck-ness. This continuum of stuck-ness is filled with self-talk - typically negative and fear driven - and is layered with iterations of starts and stops and continuous self-doubt.

What keeps us stuck is the reality that we don’t feel as though we have any ideas that are fully formed. We continue to stay stuck because we want these ideas to be fully formed, perfect ideas that ‘others’ will embrace and want to follow.

“The problem isn’t that we don’t have enough good ideas, no, the problem might be that we don’t have enough bad ideas.” -Seth Godin The Akimbo Podcast

Navigating the minefield of stuck-ness isn’t without challenges. It requires courage and vulnerability. It will test your discipline. And, throughout this navigation, we will realize that there is no destination, no black or white endpoint. Just a continuous exploration in the gray of growth and progress.

We override the amygdala and break through the resistance a little each time we set out to contribute something. And, as the wall of resistance weakens and we move a little further along the continuum of stuck-ness, we notice more, we practice more, we find our voice and ultimately, we create ideas worth spreading.

How do I start doing this work? Is a question I grapple with often. There are times when simply asking this question keeps me stuck or the subsequent inner-dialogue keeps me there. The doubt. The fear. The belief that all of the really important ideas have already been created and shared.

At this point, I rely on my own learning and understanding of how to move from being stuck to taking productive action and adopt the following practice and mindset:

We start by starting. Simply start. It won’t be perfect. It will be your best in the moment. Then we continue to show up, knowing that this idea, this creation is somewhere between our previous best and better. And, each time we do this practice, the work will improve, we will make progress, and the edges of our capabilities will expand.