From Spinning Wheels to Paving Paths for Progress

It’s been 11 months since our world both shrunk to the size of our homes and expanded through virtual connection, since in-person experiences became a rarity and pivoting ruled the day. We’ve been moving through blursdays, making the most of limbo land, and seeking silver linings.

This. is. hard. 
On families. On businesses. On schools. On communities. On relationships. On wallets. On our brains and hearts and psyches.

If you are worn out, I hear you.
If you feel stuck, I get you.
If you sense your resiliency is running on empty, I can relate.

I was spinning my wheels in my entrepreneurial endeavors last week (on top of last month, on top of most of 2020). Wanting a slice of understanding and inspiration, I turned to Google, which served up 345,000,000 links to people talking about, writing about, and wading through professional quicksand. Friends, there are a lot of five-step plans to get unstuck. Three moves to get motivated. Seven strategies for success. And some of them might be exactly right for you right now, if wading through a Google search is your thing.

I ended up calling some trusted peeps for cathartic, heart-spilling, gut-examining conversation. Sometimes we just need a smart and friendly sounding board.

I named what I was avoiding and why. And then, considering my ultimate purpose and my strengths, I uncovered what my next right step is.*

I sketched out a focused, strategic experiment of that next right step — a habit, really — including a couple ideas to monitor, maintain, and reward my efforts along the way.** The key word here is sketch, because for me this is a fluid, evolving process.

And now I’m ready for action — action that I know (after 25 years of repeating and refining this approach) will reveal fresh insights and renewed motivation. It’s action that encourages experimentation and reflection, a bit like a middle school chemistry lab. Observe what fizzes and flows, and what fizzles out. Ditch the quest for perfection and watch for what builds traction. I allow myself to question and wonder, and I invite other entrepreneurs into the process.

Bright Minds Cohort, Fall 2020

Inviting others is my favorite evolution of this “action research” sequence. It kicks that smart-and-friendly-sounding-board idea up a notch with a cohort of curious people from various industries but a similar focus: build or deepen a meaningful professional practice. We enter this process together, nudging each other toward new horizons in our work. And as we explore and grow in a cross-pollinated community, we unearth surprising, powerful ideas we’d never realize on our own. We discover deeper joy and fulfillment at work, bolder confidence in our purpose and strengths, and empowering relationships with generous, authentic people.

You can certainly do this on your own with your own people. Creating an action research/accountability group isn’t rocket science. Here’s a quick overview of how I go about it.

Or you can jump into an established, facilitated process that will expand your network and deepen your strengths without stretching you too thin or adding additional responsibilities and stress. Our next session starts February 24th.

Either way, I’m cheering you on and out of your place of stuck-ness. And I’m excited to hear what you learn along the way.

*Looking for a book to help you slow down, listen to your soul, discern wisely, and determine your next right step so you can move forward in love and faith? Emily P. Freeman’s The Next Right Thing podcast and book are both great resources.

**If you haven’t read Atomic Habits by James Clear, get your hands on a copy and move it to the top of your reading list.