Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur the collaborators are his.
Have you ever felt that you can’t get out of the routine you’re in? Maybe you have a writer’s block or your income fluctuates every month and you can’t figure out why. Looks like you can’t figure out how to move forward no matter what you do.
The first thing to remember is that feeling trapped is a feeling that everyone goes through from time to time. Doing small actions every day is much better than stopping work completely to achieve your goal just because you don’t know the next steps. It can be hard to keep working towards something when you don’t see a clear path ahead – start feeling defeated, and instead of enjoying the process, start hating it.
There are several reasons why you may feel that the way things are now is the way things will be. You may find yourself in a position where you have invested so much time to get where you are that you now think you will be wasting your time deviating from this plan. Being stuck is exhausting, and you may feel so tired that you lack the motivation and energy to find a solution to a problem. Or you may get caught up in an analysis paralysis trying to figure out what’s next. Any of these scenarios can be mentally and emotionally debilitating.
Related: How to avoid and get out of an entrepreneurial routine
But you can’t let the grind take your whole life out of you. To get out of the deadlock, you need to rely on your support system (if you don’t have one, don’t worry, I’ll list ways to identify your support below). Share with them how you feel and see if they can help you create an action plan.
Personal care is also essential when you feel trapped. Make sure you do something every day to get a load out of it. Set a cut-off time where you will stop working. You should also plan a lunch walk or a technology disconnect to allow you to process the information you have taken and solve problems without distractions.
Remember why you set out to be an entrepreneur. Don’t set aside your goals and dreams because the path is not clear on how to achieve them. Being enterprising can be demanding, but the rewards outweigh the pains if done right. There are many days when you have to face fear head on, work to exhaustion and sacrifice your social life. But once you are working activated your business and not en your business, freedom, autonomy and profit are determined by the way you operate.
Make an inventory of your goals and evaluate if they really align with who you want to be. If the success you’re working for doesn’t match your definition of success, you’ll always feel stuck. Ask yourself “Who do I really want to be?” and “What kind of life would make me happy?”
Base your decisions for each day on the answers to these two questions. Make sure the people around you, the accounts you follow on social media, and your actions align with your goals. If you are not supported, motivated and educated by them, stay away. So what are the steps to take off?
Related: How to take off and start growing
1. Look at what you say to yourself
We often focus on the problem rather than the solution. For example, if you say “I haven’t had a promotion in five years” compared to the positive rethink of “What plan to get the promotion or find a job that compensates me greatly?” “You have already lost the battle.” You will feel a sense of purpose about your situation if you focus on the pain rather than the resolution. Try to talk to yourself in a positive way the next time you find yourself in this situation.
2. Do something every day that makes you feel uncomfortable
The routines are great, but you have to live a little. The only place to grow is in discomfort. For example, if networking makes you a little nauseous, go to the networking event you plan to attend and set a goal about how many connections you’d like to make. It shakes things up and rekindles the excitement for life. It is the small steps that generate the biggest gains over time.
3. Surround yourself with greatness
Having people around you to inspire, help and educate you is a great way to take off. You won’t get stuck for long when you can call someone or arrange a face-to-face meeting with a friend, family member, or mentor who always knows what to say to resolve an issue. But it is up to you to use these resources. If you don’t have anyone, I suggest you invest in a mentor or program that you think would help take you to the next level.
Related: Do you feel stuck? Change this simple thing to refocus your mindset
4. Take action
Wishing or complaining won’t do the job. You need to take steps to change your circumstances. Take a moment to identify what you want and start formulating a plan. You became an entrepreneur to solve a problem that you recognized needed to solve the world. You are more than capable of taking off.
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