While travelling down a dirt road, you suddenly get stuck in a muddy rut. Do you just leave the car and continue on foot or find ways to get unstuck from the muddy pool?
Similar situation may and can happen in your journey to your goal. However, giving up or abandoning what you have started at this stage may not be the wisest options to take. This is especially so when it means throwing away all the effort, time, and money you have invested so far.
Therefore, when you get bogged down along the way, the better option for you to take is to try to get unstuck and here are some tips on how to do this:
- Keep calm. The worst thing you can do is to panic and lose control of the situation. Often times, it is better to stand back from a difficult situation like this and not take it too seriously. You are far more likely to find a solution this way than switching into a panic mode. Although a dose of stress can help as will be discussed later, too much of it that triggers panic can result to disaster because it muddles clear thinking. Instead, proceed to the next step below.
- Assess your situation. Retrace your steps until the time you fell into the rut. Sometimes, the solution pops out while reviewing what and why it happened. It shows you where and when you should have changed gear or direction to avoid the problem. The sooner you discover this, the easier for you to recover, especially if the damage has not taken deep root yet and making corrective measure is still possible.
Think of alternative solution. Simply sitting down and lament over the situation is never the way to get out of the rut. Wasting your time procrastinating only worsens the problem. Think of the way to bridge the gap between your present situation and the situation you hope to be in. This bridge may be gaining more knowledge so attend seminars, read books on the subject that failed you, get the advice of experts or hire a coach, seek the help of friends, etc. Availing of these “bridges” can help you get unstuck from your sticky situation. Better to ask the way than go astray.
- Be determined to move on no matter what. A Strong motivation is like a strong push to a stuck car. Sometimes, some amount of stress can help you do what seems impossible. This applies especially when the rut you fell into may spell your future. Have you seen a feeble man carrying out of his burning house furniture that is bigger than him? That’s what stress can do to people in desperate situations. This is when stress becomes an ally so take advantage of its benefits instead of sulking and doing nothing. A good thought to urge you to move on is to look at how far you have come, not how far you will still have to go.
- Unburden your mind. When you carry excess load in your mind, moving forward becomes a real struggle. Therefore, empty your head with limiting thoughts and ideas. Remove all negative beliefs such as “it’s impossible for me”, or “I simply can’t”, or “this is hopeless”, or “I not up to the task”, etc. Besides being useless, these negative thoughts sap you of energy which you can otherwise use to pull yourself out from the rut. Negative thoughts are a waste of precious energy.
Maintain a positive mindset. Now, more than ever, should you keep a brighter perspective of the situation. “As you think, so you become” I not just a beautiful but empty adage. Believe and live up to its wisdom because the mind-heart connection has been proven to be a very strong bond by many behavioural experts. Remember that a positive perception of what is possible is the antidote for fear of failure.
Next time as you travel the road to your goal, hasten slowly. Try to maintain a moderate speed because by rushing too fast, you are inviting more accidents and setbacks. But in case you fall into a rut, heeding the above tips will help you get unstuck faster and resume your journey with minimal damage done. Happy trip!