Getting Unstuck: Four Principles to Change Your Leadership – Part 3: Be Practical

Don’t try to solve serious matters in the middle of the night. – Philip K. Dick

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really been a New Year’s Resolution type person. I seldom ever make them. And no, it’s not because I don’t think that resolution or goals are not important, but because it seems that it’s the only time of the year when we ever talk about them. Why?

I will, however, tip my hat to some of the funnier resolutions I came across for your reading entertainment. Consider these:

> To become as fat as I was the very first time that I ever thought I was fat.

> To make as many people believe I’m normal before blindsiding them with my actual personality

> I’ve decided to leave my past behind me, so if I owe you money…I’m sorry..but I’ve moved on.

> My pants are starting to fit a little tight so I think it’s time I got serious about my New Year’s resolution to buy bigger pants.

Our resolutions, notwithstanding our most sincere intents, may not always be practical. But we forge ahead with them year after year in hopes something might stick.

But what do you do when you feel stuck? In this series on being stuck, we’ve taken a look at what to do when you are stuck. And here’s what we have established so far – as a leader there will be times when you are stuck. Perhaps you’ve reached a plateau, your creativity is not as sharp as it had been. You feel like you are in a slump. You feel like you are in a fog trying to find your way out.

So far we have talked about being present in the moment – not rushing the process when everything inside of us is screaming to get out of the rut as quickly as we can. We’ve been reminded that sometimes it’s OK to just be present in the moment and reflect and learn in this season the lessons we need to learn. We also talked about being patient. As much as we don’t like being stuck we have to remember that it won’t last forever.

There is a path forward and you will find it. So what’s next in the process? Let’s take a look at the next principle to change our leadership when we are stuck.

Be practical – You will hit your stride again so don’t rush it

If today you find yourself in a place where you feel stuck, let me once again tell you- be patient. This will not last forever. That being said, you also need to be practical with where you are in the moment and as you begin to find your path forward. Cut yourself some slack. Your momentum will come back and the fog will lift. But it may be a gradual emergence.

What your leadership and perspective look like on the other side of being stuck will likely look different from when you began – and rightfully so. Ruts and being stuck have a way of changing us.

In your season of being stuck, you need to learn to be practical. You need to understand your new limitations and expectations and operate within them. The lessons you learn while being stuck can help you be stronger on the other side. Embrace where you are and what you can do while stuck. Practicality is in order here.

Final Thoughts

No one likes being stuck. But it doesn’t have to be wasted time or something that’s chalked up as a bad experience. Be present. Be patient. Be practical. You will be a better leader for it.