It happens to all of us from time to time, we set a goal in our minds and we are slow to take action towards it. We make all these excuses…

You’ve heard the excuses…

  • I’m drowning in work right now, once I catch a break then I will …
  • I am trying to save money, once I get ….I can afford to …
  • I just don’t know how to …I should take a training but I don’t have time to …
  • I meant to start last week but then …
  • I was doing so well, but then I fell off because of …

Sound familiar?

Here are four strategies you can use, to get yourself unstuck:

 

  • Break down the goal into smaller actionable steps – Sometime when we have a goal, like starting a new business, it can seem extremely overwhelming. There is so much to think about that we can get caught up and lost in thought and NEVER take action. That is why it’s important to break your goal into actionable steps. Create a timeline for when you’d like to accomplish your goal, and then work backwards to plan what smaller actionable steps need to be completed in order to get you to that goal in a few months.
  • Outsource your work-  I am a huge proponent of working hard, being resourceful, and figuring things out but sometimes, it’s worth it to outsource work. There is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to outsourcing your work. We are human beings and our amount of free time is fixed. After all, we pay others to make our clothes, furniture, and homes…. We don’t tell ourselves that we should learn how to make these things for ourselves, because the money is worth the investment. If you are feeling stuck, you may want to outsource your work. For example, when I was starting this blog, at first, I wanted to create the website myself. But I had to teach myself how to do it, I didn’t want it to look too “amateur” and building my own website was just slowing the process down for me. I did end up being able to build a website but I wasn’t happy with it. Finally, I decided it was worth it to outsource this work. Believe it or not this gave me the momentum I needed to get my blog up and running. Once I had a website it became easier to get the ball rolling and post my writing. Looking back, I wish I’d hired someone earlier to help.

 

  • Understand why it’s important to make it a priority – Why did you make this a goal for yourself in the first place? Why is important to you? What are the ways in which your life can change if you set this goal in motion now? What are the possibilities that exist for you? For example, I had the idea to start blogging two years ago. I continued to drag my feet when it came to creating one because I didn’t make it as much of a priority. I kept putting work, exercise, and time with friends and family above creating my blog so it never happened. But when I realized all the ways in which blogging could be beneficial to myself and others it climbed up higher on my priority list. I realized that my posts resonate with many people and that it serves others to share what’s on my mind. Blogging has developed my voice. It has helped me with communication. It has helped me with discipline. It has been a creative outlet. It has been a point of connection with others.

The other question to think about is how inaction will have a compound effect over time. For example, had I started my blog two years ago I would have had double the content. Who knows where that could have led me? That is why the best time to start is right now.

  • Get an accountability partner – I can’t stress this enough. Having someone who you can work alongside, helps your motivation skyrocket. It gives you a sense of urgency to complete your goals and just helps you to stay true to the promises you make for yourself. If you have a goal, you should be seeking out individuals with similar goals at meetups and networking events.

Its best to schedule time for a call every week to review progress. Its effective to build this call into your routine.

Your accountability partner can offer you different perspective on how to approach problems and keep you creative. You can also help each other by leaning on one another for resources within your network. They can help you track progress, keep you positive during an off week, and will be there to celebrate your wins!

Hope this was helpful! Feel free to drop a comment to let me know what you think!