It happens to all of us, and often at the most inopportune times. We know that we have work to do—a job to complete, a new project to launch, some loose ends to tie up—but we just feel stuck in place. As if everything that we try doesn’t work. We take two steps forward and one or more steps b ack. Or we start something and simply stop. Or, worse yet, we don’t even know where to start.

Why does this happen?

There are many answers. One is that we get distracted. Another is that we have a loose sense of what needs to happen but can’t figure out the specific steps to get there. Sometimes, we lose confidence in our ability to get the job done. Or we simply don’t want it bad enough. (Of course, there are many other reasons, but these will suffice for now.)

Whatever the reason, getting stuck is a hopeless feeling. If not properly addressed, it can start to compound over time, leading to us falling farther behind and losing the trust of those around us or, worse yet, the ones who we’re charged to lead.

So what can we do when we feel stuck to push through and keep moving forward?

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