On Being Stuck
We’ve all been stuck! We’ve tried everything and nothing works. Being stuck, we can’t get traction or make progress despite all our efforts. What can possibly be done?
Being stuck is a brilliant place to be! Once you understand why this is, you shall never think about it in the same way again. If you have tried everything, then any solution you find has to be something new. To be stuck is to be on the verge of a breakthrough, of an innovative solution. If you’re not stuck, you need nothing new.
Small business owners often experience being stuck with an offer they can’t sell. They have a good product or service but can’t find the pulse of their market.
Your Attitude
Generally it is important to be patient and live with the problem for a while. Have confidence your subconscious is working on the problem. At some point you will make a breakthrough, see things differently and be able to move on.
It can be really helpful to take a break from the problem. The old advice to “sleep on it” has some value. Sometimes all you need is to take a break. A good long walk might shift the log jam and help you see the problem from a new angle.
Discussing the problem with someone else can work. The person you choose does not have to be an expert, the point is not that they will come up with the solution. The point is you will perhaps see things in a new light, as you describe the problem. It does help if the person you choose can ask intelligent questions. They might inadvertently stumble upon a new way of viewing the problem. And someone who does understand the problem may be able to point out some unexplored options.
A coach or mentor can help you think things through. A non-directive consultant will know lots of ways to help you address the roadblock.
Some Things to Try
So, you’re on your own or you have a team and you’re all stuck. The chances are you are taking something for granted. So, consider the following:
- Do you really understand the problem? It may be worth going back over the evidence, reviewing the research or even collecting new evidence. Have you identified your market and asked them for their views?
- Are you making assumptions about the solution? Many businesses make a breakthrough when they understand the goal of marketing is not always sales. It can be education, helping people understand their problem. If you’re simply asking how to increase sales, perhaps you are asking the wrong question. Trying a different goal may help you find your way forward by another route.
- Problems have contexts. Maybe the approaches you use work better in another context. It is certainly true that solutions that work in one city or estate, don’t necessarily work elsewhere and sometimes it’s hard to understand why. If your chosen approach works elsewhere, is there something significant in your context you are not taking into account.
- Have you implemented your solutions properly? If you trying something complex, have you followed the instructions? There is ample time to attempt variations once you understand the basic method.
- Are you blaming other people? It is sometimes tempting to assume there is a plot against you. Or a group of people have some unfair advantage. Usually this is not so but even if it is so, why are you competing with them?
- If all else fails, try lateral thinking! Actually, these approaches are examples of lateral thinking. It simply means approaching the problem from a different angle. You can try something like picking a word at random from a dictionary, brainstorm around it and then see if anything resonates with your problem. If the problem is on your mind, perhaps your subconscious will find a solution this way.
Trust Your Subconscious
The skill is learning to listen to your subconscious and not stamping on an idea that at first may seem irrelevant or irreverent. Listen to what your own mind is saying and you’ll often find it is inviting you to look at things in a very different light.
What approaches do you use to solve intractable problems?