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If you're human, getting stuck is inevitable. People get stuck in jobs theyre prefer to leave, in relationships that leave them unfulfilled and as entrepreneurs who feel things have stalled.

However, we pay far more attention to our **barriers** \(or headwinds\) than we do to our **blessings** \(or tailwinds\) says Adam Alter, author of _Anatomy of a Breakthrough_.

_\[This\] leads us to believe that we face more opposition than we actually do,_ he says.

We also devote more time and energy to barriers, and well we should, because that is often the only way to overcome them, he adds. Apparently it takes energy to get unstuck\!

In our interview with Adam Clear, discussing his latest book _Anatomy of a Breakthrough_ , we looked at being stuck, and getting yourself unstuck. So, stick with us, and read on\!

_Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work._  Chuck Close, painter.

Being stuck is ubiquitous. A survey by Adam Alter found 70% of respondents could bring a sticking point to mind very easily. Half had been stuck for years or decades, and 80% had been stuck for longer than a month.

Yet most of us think that the rest of the world is making progress while we are stuck in place.

We also feel plagued by things we cant have - but feel we _should_ or _could_ have.

Adam Alter says his definition of being stuck means:

- Youre temporarily unable to make progress in a domain that matters to you.

- Youve been fixed in place long enough to feel psychological discomfort.

- Your existing habits and strategies arent solving the problem.

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He says we need to attack stuckness on four fronts:

*  **Help**  Accepting being stuck is universal, and could be a feature of progress.
  *  **Heart**  Mastering your emotional response to being stuck as a step to getting unstuck.
  *  **Head**  Following the right mental scripts to simplify the problem and identify opportunities. 
  * **Habit**  Taking action - even if youre moving sideways.

Definition of being stuck

We are all going to get stuck sometime, and studies show its most often when we are **midway through** a task.

Most people slow or stop around this middle point, but speed up when they think theyre approaching their goal.

Its a factor in almost every domain, says Adam Alter, including how quickly we walk towards a product we want to buy, how loyal we feel about a business as we approach reward milestones, and how much credit card debt to pay off.

People advance more slowly when their **goals feel far away** , and they move more quickly when those goals appear to be within reach. Being stuck feels hard  it takes energy to free yourself  and most humans prefer to be lazy today even if it means working harder tomorrow.

Yet, mental difficulty shouldnt be confused with failure. Often we give up too soon.

_The golden rule is that getting unstuck almost always takes longer than we expect,_ says Adam, _and too often, we surrender just a few steps short of the finish line._

At the first sign of difficulty, persevere, he says.

_The richest advances come from getting stuck and then unstuck over and over._

HELP

Feeling stuck can make us feel trapped and anxious. This is the emotional response we dont want if we want to move forwards.

Heres where **reframing threats as challenges** helps to shrink the overwhelming prospect of failure into something manageable.

One technique you can use is **radical acceptance.** Instead of visualising your success, focus on the worst-case scenario. Whats the worst that can happen?

Or, try relaxing your definition of success. Land on an option thats just good enough \( **satisficing** \), suggests Adam. Its progress you want, not clinging to a standard that keeps you stuck.

Another tool if youre feeling stifled, is to atomise tasks. Like _Atomic Habits_ author James Clear suggests in his bestselling book, small bits of effort count for a lot. Clear says getting just [1% better at tasks each day](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/get1percentbetteratomichabits) can make you 37 times better after a year.

HEART

Doing more, in fact, can be counterproductive. We cant always produce at peak productivity, so slow down or rest between the bursts.

_If you want to succeed really, really badly, the paradoxical solution proposed by many successful people is to ease up._  Adam Alter

And, fail like you mean it\! Many people are paralysed by the prospect of failing. If youve just had a failure, **engage with it** and understand its a necessary part of creativity. Youve moved past the comfort zone. Youre making progress.

Humans love simplicity. As James Clear says in _Atomic Habits_ , the 4 laws of behaviour change are:

1\. **Cue:** Make it obvious.

2\. **Craving** : Make it attractive.

3\. **Response** : Make it easy.

4\. **Reward** : Make it satisfying.

In _Anatomy of a Breakthrough_ Adam Alter says customers often find an aspect of dealing with a business "too hard" and they get stuck. So, simplifying itself can unstick customers.

He works with businesses to make things easier for their customers. He likes the term **friction audit** to assess the complexity of business transactions.

_Friction is at the heart of being stuck,_ says Adam.

Weeding out friction points makes transactions seamless. Adding in friction points prevents unwanted behaviours.

However, some **constraints can be liberating**. For example, writing a six-word memoir forces you to focus on the essential components of what it means to be you.

Identifying opportunities is easier when you make the process simpler. Instead of trying to find a totally new idea, combine two ideas \(keep a journal of great ideas to draw from\). They dont have to be related.

Or combine different people on your team.

Adam says research shows that **new blood on a team** unlocks fresh ideas.

In fact, experiments show that even _incompetent_ outsiders move a team forward\! They just need to be different.

_If youre stuck the prescription is obvious; share your situation with someone new and different_ , __ says Adam.

Diversity is especially helpful when the task is complex, rather than brief and simple.

_Sticking points are frustratingly resistant to tried and true approaches that worked in the past, and overcoming them requires creativity and innovation,_ he says.

If theres no-one else around, have a **conversation with yourself**  and play devils advocate.

Consider the opposite of your original view. Imagine youre wrong. How exactly are you wrong?

Or ask yourself the same question twice. That can be better than relying on your first instinct.

HEAD

Finally, we come to habit. This is about taking action.

As the OODA loop described in a U.S. Air Force pilot manual goes:

_Observe  Orient  Decide - Act_

Experimentation is contained within the observing and orienting.

_The best unstickers are hungry to experiment,_ says Adam.

Since the pandemic more companies wanting to attract and retain talent have experimented with the four day work week, or hybrid work. Each experiment allows the experimenter to **try on a new identity** as you might try on clothes in a fitting room, says Adam. Its about being curious.

_Curiosity is an effective unsticker because it inspires idea linking,_  says Adam.

To cultivate the practice of curiosity he recommends:

- **Asking** questions relentlessly

- **Browsing** rather than searching. Widen your world. Read books and articles on topics youve never considered.

- **Keeping** an ongoing list of facts, ideas, and experiences that puzzle you.

_With a mix of curiosity, and the right experiments that yield the right data, youre far more likely to find a path through the weeds._

Another way forward is to look at how often you say yes or no to requests.

- In the **Exploration** \(or Experimentation\) phase you should be saying yes to opportunities.

- In the **Exploitation** \(or Execution phase\) you should be focusing, and saying no to opportunities to protect your time and energy.

Finally, try the just keep going mentality. Doggedness mixed with curiosity can lead to a serendipitous Aha moment.

Let your mind wander to inspire creativity. It can free you up to consider novel solutions.

Try **broad thinking**  the long view to ask the broadest questions about each important area of your life. Are you broadly satisfied with your life at home, at work, and in other domains that matter to you?

Try **narrow thinking.** Make a list of specific sticking points in each domain and revisit the list every month or tow to track your progress. If youre still stuck consider steps to take over the following month.

But, while thinking is useful, building habits and _doing_ something every day is the best way to get stuck less often.

_A kernel of action should be within reach no matter the situation,_ says Adam.

Micro scheduling **bite-size actions** , walking and moving your body, doing something badly instead of doing nothing  these are all ways to get unstuck.

_Acting is the king of unstickers because its propulsive by definition. You cant act and be inert._

HABIT

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Adam Alter's "Anatomy of a Breakthrough" summary

70% of us feel stuck on making a decision at any one time so what to do?

Keep informed
Stay Inspired

Adam Alter's "Anatomy of a Breakthrough" summary

70% of us feel stuck on making a decision at any one time so what to do?

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired