You know that feeling when you know that you are competent in most areas of your life but there is something that’s not working?

Your work is great, sort of, but making changes is something you put off until “tomorrow”. Your clothes are tighter than you like, but it’s easier to buy a bigger size. The doctor frowns and says your blood pressure or bad cholesterol is up. You puff and pant if you have to rush to an appointment when you never used to. You used to be more active but you’ve got out of the habit. Or whatever. You know the score.

The thing is that in so many areas of your life you are skilled and well disciplined. And you deserve to be congratulated for that. That’s why we can be mostly satisfied.

However, if you want to move ahead and conquer your obstacles then some change is needed.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” ~ Henry Ford

1. Identify what you really want to change and what has stopped you doing it so far. Deal with that. Courage is one strength that can be developed to help you. My post about boosting courage is here.

2. Assess your strengths. Ask yourself what you do that you enjoy, recognise what strength/s you are using. Match that to your values and skills. How can you use that in a new way to get you going on your new challenge. Use this handy tool by the VIA Institute on Character to figure out your strengths.

3. Break big goals (like getting a new job) into small steps. So instead of being put off by how impossible it seems to start with something small. For example, you might research your ideal job. You might not slip straight into a job as CEO of a large company, but you might ascertain what skills you need to move one step up from where you are now and plan the steps you need to take to achieve that.

4. Develop a growth mindset. That means instead of expecting a perfect result first up, enjoy the process. Success is rarely a linear process. Failures and dead ends are just part of the journey. It’s okay not to be perfect, it’s better to strive as best you can right now.

5. Take care of the voices in your head that undermine your confidence. Recognise that they may be telling you partial truths, but let them be there, listen to important messages, and find a way to move ahead, like Olympic athletes who accept pain and fatigue as part of the process. Your voices may be trying to protect you from embarrassment or failure but you don’t always have to listen.

6. Have fun. Life doesn’t always have to be deadly serious. It’s the little things that count, like sharing a joke, playing with a pet or a child, or someone young at heart, coffee with a friend, a walk through the park. We all have our own favourite healthy fun things that don’t have to cost a lot. What’s yours?

7. Find an encouraging partner who will support you through the hard parts and maybe provide a fresh perspective.

What is it you’ve been putting off? I would love to hear what works for you.

Are you looking forward to starting each day with enthusiasm and energy? Let’s get you past being stuck.  Make a Career Booster Call now.