4 Steps to take you from STUCK to STRATEGY and into ACTION
(Image from Pixabay.com)
We’ve all been stuck before.
So stuck that we don’t know what to do or where to turn. Living in a state of inaction and having it bury us, slowly and painfully.
There is a way out.
To move away from being stuck. To move towards strategic solutions and then to implement them into actionable items.
Let’s dive in and see how to get it done. (And it’s fast too!)
This 4 step process will:
Clarify exactly what you’re STUCK on
Organize your random thoughts in a fun, systematic way
Prioritize a personalized STRATEGY
Focus your efforts towards purposeful ACTION
STEP 1: Clarify exactly what you’re STUCK on
I am STUCK when …
First, we need to make sure we’re on the same page. Let’s see if we can understand what it’s like to be stuck. Truly stuck.
It feels like I’m continually getting pulled further down by the second, rooting my feet deeper into a pit of uncertainty. Everything and everyone is pitted against me. It’s hopeless.
It doesn’t matter what I try, it’s not working, and no amount of struggle is moving me towards freedom. I’m out of options; I no longer know what to do. I want to give up.
The blinders are on, narrowing my view and my perspective on the situation. While this blocks any chance for opportunity to show up for me or alternatives to be considered, I can’t even see that this is happening to me.
My saboteurs are in full force, spitting negativity out of my mouth with every word, and messing with my confidence.
Phrases like “I can’t do that…”, “It won’t work…”, and “I don’t know what to do…” become part of your vocabulary on a daily basis.
Does this sound familiar? If these statements are resonating with you, you get it, you’re stuck.
As world renowned Virtual Mentor Michael Hyatt claims, we have limiting beliefs that may be keeping us stuck as well. You can check out this article on his blog here: : https://michaelhyatt.com/limiting-beliefs.html
So you know you’re stuck, now what?
Identify the main topic/issue/area where you’re stuck …
What is the main area you’re stuck in? What is bogging you down? Frustrating you? Making you procrastinate? Taking your sleep? Robbing you of progress, movement and positive action?
If you answered:
Life - try again. Be more specific. You need something that you can sink your teeth into. Something that has some meat on it, that’s workable. Life is a big bucket. Let’s empty it one cup at a time. List all the items within your life that are stuck. You will tackle them one at a time.
My relationship with my leader is strained – this is great. Well, not great, but you get the idea. Focusing in on a target area will make the rest of the process easier.
I can’t find replacement bulbs for this lamp – not really the magnitude of stuck that requires a strategic approach, but the system below would work, if you’re obsessing over the lamp!
I’m employed but I hate my job – okay, that’s a good starting point. Narrow enough but with lots of details to hash out.
My career – it’s a bit broad. What about your career is burdening you?
You get the idea… if it’s too broad; it’s hard to tackle it logically. And you’ll likely give up, like you have before, feeling stuck and without motivation. If it’s too narrow a focus, the process may be overkill. So get specific.
Remember… empty the bucket one cup at a time. If you dump the water out all at once, it won’t soak into the ground, it’ll simply run down the gutter and get flushed away. We can use this process multiple times to tackle each cup full of issues.
Now…. clarify exactly what you’re STUCK on.
STEP 2: Organize your random thoughts in a fun, systematic way
Go Shopping …
Yes, I’m serious. Retail therapy helps! But just to the Dollar Store. Pick up the following:
Sticky notes (Post It’s) in at least three colors
Bristol Board or Poster Board
Data Dump …
With pen and paper, take some time to make notes about what you’re going through right now. Do not type it out… there’s scientific evidence that writing with pen and paper helps the brain to learn and process, while typing becomes a mindless task and doesn’t resonate as deeply with us. (Check out this article by Scientific America on https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret-don-t-take-notes-with-a-laptop/)
Answer the following questions/statements as they relate to the area you’re stuck on: (no one will see this, except you, so get real with your answers, no matter how judgmental or hurtful they may be… if you’re thinking it, don’t filter it, and just write it down.)
I am feeling stuck because…
I am also feeling …
I got into this situation because…
Who do I want to blame for this?
I have tried these things, but they’ve failed?
What do I really want to happen? When?
What else do I need to say about this situation?
Know that you can come back to these 7 statements at any time and enhance your answers.
The idea is to get it all out… every emotion, every though, every ugly truth you have about the situation. Once this data dump happens, you’re able to start working through the next sessions with more focus.
Get STICKY …
Next, you’re taking the Data Dump phase into high gear. But this time, its purposeful, systematic and solution focused only.
Take one color of stickie and dump down all possible solutions or to-do items that you want to try, to solve your situation. One solution per stickie.
Reread your Data Dump answers and as solutionable ideas emerge, whether they’re viable or not, put them on a stickie.
Do not filter your brainstorming process at all. If the idea emerges, write it down.
Get to the point where there are no ideas, no options, nothing left floating around in your head as possible solutions. Everything is on a stickie.
Now organize all these stickie’s into columns on your poster board, keeping functional areas together. Think of files in a file cabinet… each drawer has specific files in it that make sense and relate to the others. Think of your kitchen cupboards, you don’t keep the glasses and silverware in the same cupboard. Be purposeful in your groupings.
Take another color of stickie and label the top of every column/grouping with your functional title/category/grouping.
Sit back and study your masterpiece… your poster board of brilliant solutions, ideas and actions. There may be 3 columns, like in the picture below, or 10, it doesn’t matter.
Are there any functional categories that have been omitted altogether, because you didn’t have any potential solutions related to them? Add that as a column with no data.
Are there more solutions coming to mind, now that you’ve got a good start going?
Keep churning on your poster board and stickie’s. Don’t stop until you’ve exhausted all options, and your creative well is empty.
STEP 3: Prioritize a personalized STRATEGY
White space
White space is a wonderful thing. It’s expansive. It’s empowering. It’s liberating. It’s like a breath of fresh air, invigorating, cleansing and refreshing.
White space is the ability for you to think, without all these feelings, issues and solutions running around in your head. It’s the answer to creative solutions and actionable plans.
IT’S THE KEY TO GETTING UNSTUCK!
There’s neurological research on how White space is required in order for us to function, to problem solve, to be strategic and creative. This company focuses its’ business on the concepts: http://www.whitespaceatwork.com/context/neuroscience
And there are plenty of articles on using White Space to enhance productivity, such as this one: http://creatro.com/white-space-productivity/
Now sit back and study your masterpiece again.
Notice how you feel… Is there some freedom creeping in? Mixed with overwhelm at the monstrosity that you’ve unearthed? Is there a feeling of shifting occurring, because even the idea of action, even writing it on a stickie becomes exciting? Most likely, you’ve answered yes to all of these.
Sleep on it. Give your brain a rest. Your brain will enjoy all the white space you’ve now created.
Deciding what’s important to YOU…
Now it’s time to strategize some workable solutions. These are your solutions. You have to believe in them. You have to know they’re viable.
Column by column, reorganize the stickie’s in order of importance, keeping them in their respective column.
If more ideas or actions come up as you do this, jot them down and place them accordingly.
Ask yourself “What’s missing?”
With the third color of stickies, jot down any of the following strategic theories that relate to a solution or an entire column:
Roadblocks I’ll face (time, money, my limiting beliefs, etc)
Resources I’ll need (who to ask for help, what will eliminate the roadblocks)
Gaps I need to solve (knowledge learning, connections to make, finding courage, etc)
Start making the plan:
Assigning due dates to stickies
Delegating items to other individuals
Finding someone to be accountable to, that will support your process
Accepting that you’ve got work to do and that this is possible
Celebrating that you’re taking back the control of your situation and being STUCK is no longer a place where you live
STEP 4: Focus your efforts towards purposeful ACTION
(Image from Pixabay.com)
Moving into action starts now.
Grab one stickie and go.
You don’t have to tackle all of them at once.
Look at the top items in each column, look at your due dates and pick one.
Start easy or start hard, it doesn’t matter. Just start.
As Danielle Laporte says in this great little motivational video clip, Make it Happen. https://youtu.be/cITNveY-kig.
Resetting & Assessment
Yes, there will be unexpected hurdles along the way. Life isn’t meant to be predictable. If it was, it would be boring and we’d all be unhappy.
So expect more resistance. And expect more learning. Lots of learning.
When you created the initial plan, you did it based on what you knew to be true at that time. Right?
And once you take some action, guess what? Now you know more, and the plan may change.
When that happens, rejoice. You’re smarter than you were, you know more, and you can adjust on the fly. Assess what worked, what didn’t and why.
Reset. Change the plan. Move some stickies around. Add more. Crumple some into a pile on the floor… because they were crap… or you finished them… or they no longer fit in the plan.
YOU ARE IN CONTROL.
THIS PERSONALIZED PLAN IS JUST FOR YOU.
NOW GO DO IT!
YOU GOT THIS.
