10 Jun Six Stellar Ways to Actually Get Unstuck, Now!
Write 1000 words per day / Get out of your head with a podcast / Put yourself in an uncomfortable situation / Write your perfect job description …
1. Write 1000 words per day
If you’re anything like me, your brain is always on, always engaged, always thinking of some new random yet intensely urgent thing to Google. My randomness is a mash up of deep thoughts, bursts of inspiration, frustration and everything in between. It can become overwhelming and counterproductive. That’s why I was so inspired when I learned about this activity of writing 1000 words per day. It’s basically just journaling, but the word limit is key because it gives me something to shoot for. (I’m goal oriented af.)
Think of this brain dump as an opportunity to tidy your thoughts. Just like at home, when you tidy up, you find gems you didn’t realize were there among the clutter. When I started writing this past summer, several LinkedIn article topics materialized from my notes. The articles help me build my online brand and drive profile views that allow me to be known.
Some days I wrote 500 words, and sometimes it was 1500, but every single time, it was valuable. Start now! Get that mess out of your head and onto a Word doc or piece of paper where it can become something tangible and useful!
For more, check out: https://medium.com/the-mission/how-writing-1000-words-a-day-changed-my-life-cf72453b8fef
2. Get out of your head with a podcast
If you and I have ever interacted in real life, it’s 125% possible that I’ve recommended a podcast to you. I’m completely obsessed with them!
Anytime that we get frustrated or overwhelmed, we tend to lose our creativity. Without creativity, we tend to get stuck. Podcasts are great for getting some inspiration, advice, new perspective, creative ideas and just reminding us how big the world is. There are podcasts available on any imaginable topic.
Here are a few of my current faves that are always ready to rock on my Google Play app!
- If you had a crappy day and need some perspective: Terrible, Thanks for Asking
- For encouragement to launch your side hustle: Don’t Keep Your Day Job
- For guidance on building the life of your dreams, on your terms: The Business of Becoming
- For overcoming what holds you back: Do it Scared with Ruth Soukp
- For advice from successful entrepreneurs on how to do work you love: Courage & Clarity
- For a moment of zen and reflection: Black Zen and the Weekly Wellness
3. Put yourself in an uncomfortable situation
I recently attended an online conference, during which one of the panelists Andrew Nguyen, Co-Founder BYOBlive shared that at one particularly busy time of his entrepreneurial journey, he was finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning. The call of his warm, comfy bed was preventing him from getting shit done and making his dreams a reality. His creative solution? He threw out the bed and slept on the old, lumpy couch. This helped guarantee he didn’t get too comfortable; instead when that alarm went off in the morning, he woke up and got to work. Brilliant!
In what areas of your life are you a little too comfortable? What’s your metaphorical bed that needs to be tossed out to help you get laser focused? Get uncomfortable and get to work.
4. Write your perfect job description
I work with many clients who scour job descriptions online trying to find a role that’s perfect for them. Frequently, they come away disappointed because they can’t find that elusive unicorn job. It makes sense that your specific personality, strengths, values and experiences are as unique as a thumbprint. Trying to find a posting online that lights you up is like searching for a needle in a haystack. If you’re tired of trying to force a square peg into a round hole, maybe another approach could be helpful. Reverse engineer things by first getting super clear on what you’re looking for. What sort of role would allow you to jump out of bed with glee every morning? Consider: responsibilities, skills used, competencies needed, what your team would be like, what your leadership would be like, salary, company mission and whatever else comes up for you. Still not sure what to write? Just make it up! Create something to aspire to.
5. Connect with people who have fascinating work lives
Now that you’ve created an inspiring job description, let’s make it happen! The good news is that whatever you’re dreaming to accomplish, there is a 99% chance that somebody else has done it already. This is good news because you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Hop on Facebook, LinkedIn or do a few Google searches to find people who are living the amazing career that you may have someday.
Informational interviews are a real thing that you should definitely be doing at every stage of your career. Reach out, get advice and figure out your next steps. By connecting with people who share your passions, you’ll get an inspiring boost of energy and expand your network, too. Use what you learn to create your perfect job search strategy! For more, check out https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-ask-for-an-informational-interview-and-get-a-yes.
6. Work with a coach
My coach and I meet about every other week and it seems that when it’s time for our session, the timing is always perfect. As ambitious and motivated as I typically am, I still need a coach to keep me be focused and accountable. Actually, it’s because I’m so ambitious that I find that having a coach is crucial! Too often, I let myself become distracted by my saboteur voices, doing their best to disrupt my progress. Having a coach helps me maintain momentum that might otherwise by stopped by having an off day. Also, I’m able to be 1000% candid – be fully seen – both my magic and my mess. She helps me articulate obstacles and get at the root of why it’s an obstacle. Working with a coach allows me to get where I’m going FASTER because I have more intention, clarity and courage. As much as I’d like to be able to say that I accomplish everything all by myself, that wouldn’t be true. Sometimes, the support of a coach is the key that unlocks my success.