When stuck, stop pushing

Friends,

One thing I've learned in many, many years of feeling stuck is that pushing harder doesn't work.

Let's think of an easy example: you've lost your car key.

It's in that moment that you might tear apart the house, look under couch cushions, or maybe drop a swear word or two.

After you’ve looked up and down, you're becoming increasingly more frustrated, and annoyed. You've torn apart every place you can imagine and it has magically disappeared. That's when it is best to just stop.

You're in a heightened emotional space, you're mad and you're done. 

When I walk away and do something different, that's when the keys finally appear.

This week I saw first hand the power of walking away.  I was feeling really overwhelmed with getting back on an exercise routine, after a few weeks of travel.  And while I struggled to find a way to get back into it, Hurricane Henri hit. 

With a basement that loves to flood, I decided to move my Peloton into my living room, in hopes of saving it from submersion. 

And guess what? The hurricane turned left and missed Boston, and I have been consistent for the last week on my bike now that it sits in my living room, in full view, asking to be ridden daily. 

I spoke to a startup today that had huge plans for what needed to be done for their launch, a large investment in Web building and marketing ahead of their launch.  After our conversation, full of intensity and need, they stepped away. 

And now they have a more focused, more efficient tighter vision for marketing that we both came to with ease. 

When you are stuck don't push. Stop.  Give your mind time to come up with the solution, which is always easier than you think. 

If all else fails, your home gym in front of your desk.  I'll let you know if that still works in three months. For now, it's a game changer. 

What can you walk away from to get a better perspective?

Karen