The Un-Stuck Walk

Sometimes we get stuck

We are going along in our lives day in and day out…week in and week out…month in and month out…when we find ourselves in a rut…stuck.

Or it may be that we are tackling a issue at work and have thought about it and thought about it…looked at the issue from different angles…asked for advice but can’t seem to figure out a solution…stuck.

Being stuck causes us some stress…perhaps a good amount of stress…maybe even overwhelming stress.

What to do?

How can you get un-stuck?

Someone just said…”Step back and punt!”

Now that’s an option…not a very good one but still…it’s an option.

But let’s think about a different one…

Take a long walk…

A run if you prefer

But a long one…

By yourself.

Put your walking or running shoes on and just start moving.

As you are moving there is one rule…you cannot turn around…

Yup

You cannot turn around until…

You cannot turn around until…you get a legitimate new idea.

That’s it!

You walk - or run - going away from your starting point and cannot turn back around until you become un-stuck.  Until you get a new idea - a new approach to the issue you have.

Then on your way back you can work on the plan of action to help you achieve the new idea you just came up with.

I have used this so many times.  It is one of the reasons I love to run out on country roads by myself.  You can just “be” without the distractions of anything…

(running on a busy street doesn’t work as well for me because I keep looking at everything around me and wondering about those things instead of letting my mind clear)

I have used this so many times that my team at work often reply to my new ideas with

“Oh…you went for a run yesterday didn’t you?”

They say it with an attitude sometimes…(but in good fun)

I am amazed how this simple action - walking by yourself to let you mind clear - works.  It’s success rate must approach 90-100% - at least for me.

So when you are stuck

Take action

Move to get un-stuck

Because really…if you don’t move and stay in the place you are stuck in you will never get unstuck…I think that’s a law of physics or a quote from Einstein…or something…

An Unstuck Walk…just get moving…