Feeling Stuck? Do you know what the next step is, but you just can't seem to get there from here? We can miss a lot of great opportunities by getting bogged down in what we think "should" come next.
When possible, fast-forward to the part that ignites your passion, then go back and do that other step. You will be amazed at how much easier it will seem, if indeed it needs to be done at all!
When you feel resistance to your work, it's often a sign that you're not going with the flow. Remember Dr. Charles Emerson Winchester III from the TV series, M*A*S*H? His mantra was, "I do one thing, I do it well, and then I move on." That may have worked well for him back in Boston, but in war-torn Korea his rigidity was out of place. Despite the pleading of his co-workers, he simply refused to go with the flow, causing problems for himself and others.
Fast-Forwarding: Why You'll Love It...
Fast-forwarding to another step can help by:
- allowing incubation time for one part of your project while you move ahead to another.
- helping you flow around temporary obstacles such as fear, a creative block, procrastination, or having to wait for another person to respond in some way.
- engaging the Law of Attraction on your behalf. (See http://www.thesecret.tv/.)
- helping you get a fresh perspective on something. This may motivate you and stir the passion you need for the more difficult parts of the project. On the other hand, it may help you see that this is not a project you're passionate about, which will free you up to move on to something that really makes your heart sing.
Take Einstein for Example...
Remember, Einstein intuited the Law of Relativity, and then went back and did the math! We are in good company when we use fast-forwarding!
Suppose you are job-hunting and have been taught that updating your resume is the first step. Sounds easy enough, so why can't you seem to make yourself do it? It's because the passion isn't there. You might try fast-forwarding past that step and do some informal networking instead. If you hear of a job that stirs your passion, you will breeze through that update in no time. Also, you'll have a better idea of what experience will be most relevant to include.
Maybe you need to do some writing that requires an outline, and you've been taught that the outline must come first. But your creativity cowers in the corner at the sight of those Roman numerals! Fast-forward over that step. Write the piece and create your outline from that. It's OK, really!
When coach Winston Connor was a beginning trainee at my alma mater, Coach U, he wanted to get involved in the coaching community as quickly as possible. He ended up starting an alumni group long before he was an alumnus himself. His willingness to reach out without saying, "But first I have to graduate..." paid great dividends for him in this situation and others during his coaching career.
Suppose you want to be a potter. Maybe you're thinking, "But first I have to learn to make my pieces perfectly symmetrical." Maybe not! I attended a craft show where a clever potter was selling very wobbly-looking mugs called "Bad-Day Mugs"!
Maybe you want to write a book, but you hate to do traditional research. You could replace that step with interviews, questionnaires, and/or teaching classes about the subject.
OK, now your book is done, but you're concerned that the information will be outdated by the time it makes it way around the New York publishers' circuit. You could skip that step and self-publish, especially if you have access to your niche market. And you will if you continue to teach the class!
You Get the Idea...
Give fast-forwarding a try the next time you feel stuck, and let us know what happens by stopping by to leave a comment.
Need a lift for your fast-forward leap? Email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com to set up a complimentary trial coaching tele-session.
May the flow be with you,
Susan
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