Have you ever looked about at your life and thought, “I should be further along by now” or “Why do I feel so stuck?” If yes, you are not by yourself. It’s a common—and profoundly human—experience to reach a point when it seems as though nothing is ahead. Every day might seem like a repeat of the past, your goals could seem unreachable, and your drive might be running empty.

The truth is, though, that feeling caught does not indicate brokenness. You are being invited to grow.

And development? There is magic there as well.

Anyone who is sick of whirling their wheels and ready to gather momentum, change their perspective, and ultimately become unstoppable should find this post useful.

The first step is realizing you are stuck and acting honestly about it.

Admit that you feel stuck; this is the first and most forceful action you can take in your path of development, albeit not always easy.

Although it seems contradictory, admitting your annoyance is really a sign of self-awareness—and self-awareness is the seed from which all growth starts.

exhale. Think about:

Are my values aligning with where I live?

Does my daily schedule either excite or exhaust me?

For what am I avoiding?

Perhaps your fear of failing has you caught here. Perhaps you are worn out from doing too much for others and too little for yourself. Alternatively you might simply not know which path to follow going forward.

Whichever the cause, the first step toward fixing it is calling attention to the issue.

The second step is to create intentional goals (not merely aspirational ones).

Often times, our feeling of being stuck results from either too vague or too demanding goals. Though they’re not roadmaps, “I want to be happier,” “I want a better job,” or “I want to get healthier” are all reasonable wants.

Your goals need organization and clarity if you are to gather momentum.

Experiment with this:

One thing you wish to change in the next thirty days?

Long term: How do you want your life to look one year from now?

Then reverse-engineer it.

Assume your thirty-day objective is to increase your energy level. Break that down: start with drinking more water, going to bed earlier, or walking 10-minute each morning. Because they generate movement—and movement is the opposite of stuck—these little actions have great power.

Recall: momentum does not begin with big action. It begins with little but steady effort.

Third Step: Every Day Do One Brave Thing.

To be honest, many times the invisible fence separating us from the life we desire is fear.

Indeed, you could be afraid of failing, getting judged, or even succeeding (yes, that is a real thing!). But the instant you act, fear loses its hold.

Try one little action every day that pushes you beyond your comfort zone:

Participate in a meeting by speaking.

Forward that email you have been dodging.

Sign up for the class you have been discussing for months.

Advancement is about courage, not about perfection. And each time you act in the face of anxiety, your brain is rewiring to believe, “Hey, maybe I can do hard things.”

Fourth step: change to a growth mindset.

Usually, the one thing separating those who grow from those who remain stuck is attitude.

With a fixed mindset, one says: “This is just the way I am.”

Under a growth perspective, one says: “I’m a work in progress, and that’s okay”.

Start conversing with yourself as you would with a friend striving their best. Try I’m learning something new,” instead of “I’m not good at this.” Try “I learned something valuable instead of “I messed up.”

Changing your internal story will help you to develop emotional resilience, which will enable you to keep on. It will not take away your challenges.

Step Five: Establish a Helping Environment

The people and places you surround yourself with really affect you.

It gets much more difficult to escape stuckness if you surround negativity or people who discount your dreams all the time. You rise, though, when you surround yourself with people who support your development, who celebrate your success, and who gently challenge you.

Investigate:

• Who brings you higher?
• Your energy is drained by whom?
• Which local or online environments motivate you?

Choose your surroundings. Join a mastermind group, choose an accountability buddy, listen to inspirational podcasts, or just spend more time with people that brighten your life.

Support is a need not a luxury.

The sixth step is to commit to your path even if it is messy.

Nobody tells you, however, that growth is not linear.

Certain days will inspire and energize you. On other days you will doubt everything. That’s ordinary. Actually, those “off” days are usually the ones working most behind-the-scenes—stretching your capacity, testing your dedication, and teaching patience.

Your not quitting is what counts most.

Celebrate your development. Keep a diary. Even if it’s just a small step forward, note something every time you advance. Growing is a mosaic made from little, flawed bits.

Do not wait for ideal circumstances. Never wait until you feel absolutely ready. Show up disorganized. Turn up terrified. Simply keep showing up.

Seventh step: reflect, reset, and realign.

The last jigsaw piece is Consideration.

Once a week, or perhaps once a month, stop and ask:

• What is working here?
• What has to change?
• Do my objectives still match me?

Reflecting helps you to stay close to your purpose and course-correct. It also lets you realize how far you have come—something we sometimes overlook while we are thinking ahead.

Credit yourself. It is you working on this. And one should take great satisfaction in that.

After all, you are capable of amazing development.

From stuck to unstoppable—it’s not only a memorable phrase. Choosing to take responsibility for your story results in a real, lived transformation.

You are not obliged to have it all worked out. You only need to move one bravely.

Perhaps today that would be reading this post. Perhaps tomorrow it will be delivering that message, applying for that job, or at last believing you are deserving of change.

You are stuck because something inside of you is ready to grow; you are not stuck because you are broken.

Then pay attention to that inner whisper. Starting first is important. And keep forward one brave deed at a time.

You will rise from this season, not merely survive it. And looking back will help you see this was the turning point for everything.

Let us flourish side by side. Are you prepared to start to be unstoppable?