Have you ever been what I call “stuck on stuck”? It’s the kind of stuck that leaves you feeling like you’re waist-deep in swamp muck. That’s how I’d been feeling around creating my website. What started off as a seemingly do-able project – I thought, “Oh, I can just bang this out, no problem!” – became a backwater of endless analysis paralysis, decision doubting, and fitful starts amounting to a huge ‘ol pile of frustration and anxiety.
I knew what I wanted – a beautiful, elegant, easy-to-use website I can add content to or hire help, as needed – it’s that there are SO MANY choices and so many of them seem so “right”. And therein lays the problem. Too many options can lead to confusion and stifle productivity and progress.
Even knowing this already, I still got stuck on being stuck. My mind just couldn’t let go of feeling like I’d make the “wrong” choice and that there was a perfect solution out there for me if I just kept searching.
What a waste of time it is to be caught in the whirlpool of decision paralysis. It not only obliterates your valuable time with little to show for it, but it drains away your energy, your creativity and your productivity.
How expensive is being stuck?
In my case, I estimate my costs to be:
30 hours reading websites, blogs and posting questions about which website platform or WordPress theme is the “best”
10 hours investigating with two different platforms, neither of which I was pleased with (which only confirmed in my mind that I needed to keep searching)
3+ hours in phone conversations or chats with designers/developers
An amazing amount of stress, frustration and lost sleep over the whole process
In the end, in an effort to make the “best”, I ended up making life a lot more difficult for myself.
What has being stuck really cost you in your life and business? Wouldn’t it be great if you could cut the amount of time and energy we waste being stuck? Good news… you can!
Here are the five steps I used to get unstuck and move forward quickly
1. Make a decision to make a decision. Any decision. Just pick one. If you’re super stuck, write your choices on pieces of paper, put them in a bowl, close your eyes and reach in and choose one. Seriously.
2. Commit to taking immediate action on that decision. Action is the key word here. In my case, I chose a platform and started building my site.
3. Don’t look back for at least 72 hours (unless you made a life-threatening or harmful decision, of course). You need time to get comfortable with your new decision and gain momentum to keep you moving forward.
4. Ride the wave of momentum. If after 72 hours, your newfound forward trajectory is feeling good and you’re making progress, keep going! If you’re still having anxiety around whether or not you made the “right” decision, make an agreement with yourself that you have permission to reevaluate after another 72 hours. Giving yourself permission to reconsider your decision will help calm the protests of your inner worrier and that part of you that may feel “trapped” by a decision.
5. Reward yourself for taking action and making progress. We don’t pat ourselves on the back enough. Maybe you treat yourself to a nice meal, a relaxing massage or reinvigorating time outdoors. While you’re in that space of feeling great, congratulate yourself for moving forward. You might even use an affirmation, such as “I am always able to choose what’s right for me and make smart decisions quickly and confidently.”
What happened with me? You’re looking at the result! I made an executive decision to do something and NOW. Is my site perfect? No, I’m sure it won’t ever be, but doing something is better than staying stuck. It will evolve and change over time, just as I do.
To help me discharge the negative energy I’d held around the website building process, I decided to write about it in hopes that my experience and tips could help others get unstuck.
I’d love to hear from my readers!
How do you get unstuck? What strategies or methods have you successfully used to help get you moving forward again?
Please share your thoughts comments section below.
If you found this post helpful, I’d so appreciate it if you shared it with your friends. Some of them may be feeling stuck, too!
Here's to keeping the forward momentum going!
Welcome, I’m Christine Parma! I’ve helped thousands of purpose-driven entrepreneurs, thought leaders and changemakers joyfully transform themselves, their businesses and their "real world results" in ways that align with their values, increase their impact, and achieve the bold visions they hold... and I'd love to support you, too!
As a results-focused trainer and coach, I help you craft both a wildly successful professional life and deeply fulfilling personal life. By combining highly effective coaching methods, smart strategies, strategic systems, and powerful personal transformation modalities, I support you with moving past what’s been limiting you, map a clear path forward to achieving your boldest goals and achieve your fullest potential with joy, grace and flow.
Ready for Extraordinary Results? Learn more about how I can help you or read some of my clients’ success stories.
