A Simple Way to Get Unstuck and Move Forward

There is a common habit that people who feel stuck often have that is keeping them stuck.

It is this.

They continually talk in statements about their problem, situation, or challenge.   

What I mean by talking in statements are things like “I don’t know what to do, ” “I don’t know how to change it,” “I constantly feel overwhelmed and over-busy,” “My work life isn’t going the way I want it to,” etc.

All the statements you are making about your challenge or problem might be very true. But talking in statements is a habit that doesn’t naturally lead to action, change, results, and getting unstuck.

Talking in statements in this way holds you back from finding solutions and moving forward because they are problem focused, not solution focused.

Nothing changes when you just focus on the problem. You get unstuck by being solution focused.

A Simple Way to Get Unstuck and Move Forward

A very simple and highly effective habit to create to combat this is to turn your statements into questions.

When you turn your statements into questions you are becoming solution focused. You are taking your mind down a path of creating awareness, creative thinking, and curiosity.

That leads to new ideas and identifying your next steps. As a result, you are more likely to uncover the next steps to get unstuck, take action, and move forward.

For example, the statements mentioned above might be flipped into questions like this:

“I don’t know what to do,” could be turned into a question like “What would help me to figure out what to do next?”

“I don’t know how to change it,” could be turned into a question like “What do I need to learn so that I can start changing this?”

“I constantly feel overwhelmed and over-busy,” could be turned into a question like “What are the top things making me feel this way and what can I do to start addressing those things?”

“My work life isn’t going the way I want it to,” could be turned into a question like “What can I start doing to start getting my work life back on track or moving in a better direction.”

See the difference?

Questions are infinitely more powerful than statements.

They lead to a different mindset about a situation. A different mindset leads to different behaviour. Different behaviour leads to different results. 

So, if you want to get unstuck, create change, and start moving forward stop making statements about your challenges and the things you don’t like and get into the habit of asking questions of yourself instead.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” – Albert Einstein