You’ve got a deadline on the horizon, but you’re not worried because you’re on top of your game. Until, suddenly—you stall. What happened? Why can’t you make any progress when you were just trucking along? Check out these reasons why you get stuck even when it seems to be so close to success, and hopefully you’ll get to the root of your problem.
1. Your goal seems too daunting.
Even if you were initially making progress with your task, maybe you got cold feet and realized your goal was too daunting. Does it seem like too much? It might be time to take a step back and see what you’re trying to tackle. Even if it doesn’t seem like too much, break your major project into manageable tasks that you can accomplish more easily. You can do them quickly, and before you know it, the entire project will be complete!
2. You’re sticking to the same approach.
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut if you’re always trying the same approach. It’s especially hard when you’re trying the same thing and expecting different results, like the same answer will work for every problem you have. Instead, think outside the box. Try to see the end of your project and envision different ways to get there. The more creative you are, the more fun you’ll have working on the task! And also, you’re less likely to get the same result as anyone else you might be competing with.
3. You’re not focusing on long-term results.
Are you stuck because you don’t see the point of your project? Even small tasks can have great importance in the long run. Look at every project as a building block towards something bigger. If you see the impact your project will make, it might inspire you to get back on track.
4. You’re not being patient enough.
You want to have everything done right now, right? It’s a common feeling, but you have to be patient. Getting impatient just makes it harder to focus on what you actually need to accomplish at this moment. It might take a lot of time to finish something major, so know you need to put in a lot of effort to see the results. It’s going to be worth it in the end, even if it takes awhile to get there!
5. You got distracted.
You let your project sit on the back burner for too long, and now you have no desire to come back to it. Remember how involved you were in the project before you lost focus, and try to harness that energy again. Jump back in!
6. You’re procrastinating.
This is the opposite of not being patient—you’re being too patient, and not making any progress at all! Don’t sit around and put your project off until the last minute. Even if it seems daunting, or you don’t have the drive to work on it, push yourself to start with a small part of the project. Look back at the tolerable steps you broke the project into, and start tackling it. Once you make a little bit of progress, you’ll be inspired to continue, and you’ll get the project done before you know it!
7. You’re a perfectionist.
Who doesn’t want their work to be perfect? You don’t want anyone to find holes in your project, so you’re stuck because you’re working so hard to make it just right. It might be hard, but sometimes you just have to let it go. Do your best work and have faith that it will be close to perfect, because it’s your best! You just might be surprised at how good your work can be when you just do it, instead of being preoccupied with how it’s going to turn out.
