1391: Feeling Stuck? 5 Limiting Mindsets to Avoid by Stephen Warley of Life Skills That Matter on Career Success

[00:00:00] Who doesn't know it? In the holiday, you want to take a picture of yourself in front of a cool location per self-release, but after five attempts, not everything is still on it?

[00:00:09] At the end, with the head of the Eiffel Tower, with the new foldable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 with Galaxy AI. The Flexcam with autosum finds the right image and doesn't just look at you, but also puts the environment well into the scene. Galaxy AI is here!

[00:00:25] Erfare jetzt mehr über das neue Galaxy Z Flip 6 auf Samsung.de This is Optimal Work Daily Episode 1391 Feeling Stuck 5 Limiting Mindsets to Avoid by Stephen Warley of LifeSkillsThatMatter.com And I am Dan, I'm your host and I'm with you every single day reading from these terrific blogs

[00:00:45] that we find on all sorts of work-related topics. So without any further ado, let's get right to our next article as we optimize your life. Feeling Stuck 5 Limiting Mindsets to Avoid by Stephen Warley of LifeSkillsThatMatter.com Do you feel stuck right now?

[00:01:08] If you had to think about that question, you're probably stuck. I've been stuck lots of times throughout my career. Lots of people feel stuck because they are in transition. They are uncertain about the future direction of their work or life,

[00:01:20] but at the same time they are certain they no longer want to be on their current path. Not sure how to put your stuck feelings into words? I've talked to hundreds of people about why they feel stuck.

[00:01:31] From my experience, that feeling can be attributed to five different limiting mindsets or stuck mindsets. The Five Stuck Mindsets 1. Unawareness When you are unaware you have no idea you are even stuck or that you're suffering from one of the limiting mindsets.

[00:01:49] When people notice you've changed and not in a good way, it's a huge indicator of being stuck. Losing or gaining weight, increased anxiety, moodiness, negative thoughts, lack of interest in your passions, social withdrawal, drinking more alcohol, and chronic fatigue are some of the warning signs.

[00:02:07] You might be so deep into your work abyss that you're completely unaware of the physical and emotional toll it's taken on you. Your mind is locked into a loop of negative and frustrating thoughts with no end in sight. Unawareness is the worst form of being stuck.

[00:02:21] You have no clue you are wasting precious energy fighting to stay on a career path that no longer fulfills you. Transitioning toward more meaningful work might be a more effective use of your energy. 2. Inertia

[00:02:34] You can't seem to get started on the change you want to make in your life. You have no idea how to begin. Most humans don't like change, it's hard. We go out of our way to avoid it.

[00:02:44] There is comfort in going along with the status quo or feeling content. Staying the course on cruise control takes a lot less energy than forging a new path in life, at least in the short term. You've got everything figured out, or so you think you do. You're coasting.

[00:02:58] Life is good, why change it? On the other hand, you might not be happy and know you need some change in your career or life. However, where do you begin? You feel overwhelmed by all the possible options so you do nothing at all.

[00:03:11] Either way, you get paralyzed by inertia, leaving you stuck in your career. I've been stuck on my career path for up to five years. Don't make the same mistake. Eventually, your career path will change. I was laid off 25 years ago and had no choice in the matter.

[00:03:26] Do you want to get unstuck on your terms? Or have it decided for you by an outside force like me? 3. Permission You are stuck because you are waiting for someone else or something else to decide your fate.

[00:03:39] You've given all the power away to someone else to make that decision for you. When you want a change in your career and you have to ask permission for it, then you are stuck, my friend. So what exactly do I mean?

[00:03:51] When you want more money and have to ask for a raise but don't get it, you might be stuck. When you can't start your new business without acquiring lots of debt first instead of looking for alternative ways to fund it, you might be stuck.

[00:04:04] When you want to work from home one day a week but your boss gets to decide the most productive use of your time, you might be stuck. When you only know how to apply for a job instead of creating one for yourself, you might be stuck.

[00:04:16] So stop asking permission and take control of your career. Do what works for you. Take action. Decide when, where, and how you want to make the change you desire. It takes lots of work, but trust me it's worth it. 4. A Missing Piece

[00:04:32] You have more than a vague idea of how you want to change your career path but you get stuck because you are missing a key ingredient to execute your plan. Missing pieces come in lots of different forms. You might not have the right connections.

[00:04:45] You lack the necessary research or knowledge. You don't have enough money. Or you don't have enough time because of a previous commitment or obligation. You do have a choice.

[00:04:55] You can either view the one missing piece that is holding you back from executing your plan for change as an insurmountable obstacle or merely a problem to be solved. If you want the change bad enough, you'll find a way to acquire the missing piece you need. 5. Unchallenged Assumptions

[00:05:12] You make assumptions about why you can't get started or make the big change you wanted your life. When assumptions aren't tested, they become excuses. We blame the assumption as the reason for holding us back when in reality we aren't holding ourselves accountable. We aren't being honest with ourselves.

[00:05:28] We're scared. If you are serious about lifestyle design and finding more meaningful work, test your assumptions by seeking out alternative perspectives and approaches. How to reframe your mindset Once you understand which of the limiting mindsets is keeping you stuck,

[00:05:43] then you can figure out the best strategy for getting you unstuck. The most effective method for reframing your mindset is to get out of your own head and seek alternative perspectives. Try some of these self-improvement challenges. 1. Keep a Journal

[00:05:58] If you sense you might be unaware of just how stuck you are, then track your most prominent negative thoughts and your most positive thoughts each day by writing them in a journal or by keeping notes on your phone. I believe writing is the number one self-awareness habit.

[00:06:11] 2. Take Imperfect Action If you are suffering from inertia, then schedule 15 minutes each day to take an imperfect action to design your ideal lifestyle. Imperfect action is better than no action at all. At the very least, you'll learn something about yourself. Remember, perfection is a limitation. It's not progress.

[00:06:31] 3. List Alternative Perspectives When you are waiting for permission to take action, it's because you can only see one course of action. Get unstuck by challenging yourself to list as many different alternatives as possible to overcome your obstacle or to make your big change happen. 4. Hang With Like-Minded People

[00:06:51] If you are feeling stuck because you are missing a piece to your success puzzle, then start hanging out with people who are doing what you want to do. They can guide you more quickly to your missing pieces than going it alone. You just listened to the post titled

[00:07:07] Feeling Stuck? 5 Limiting Mindsets to Avoid by Stephen Worley of LifeSkillsThatMatter.com This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Do you ever find yourself getting caught up in comparison, seeing the successes of others and wishing your life looked the same?

[00:07:23] If so, then you know how difficult it can be to manage these feelings. Therapy can help you focus on what you want instead of what others have, so you can start living your best life. And therapy is for everyone. Even if you haven't experienced major trauma,

[00:07:38] it's a great place to learn positive coping skills, boundary setting, and personal empowerment, which can have an amazing impact on both your personal and professional life. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule.

[00:07:55] Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists any time for no additional charge. Stop comparing and start focusing with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com-slash-work-daily-today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp-H-E-L-P-D-O-M-S-L-H-Work-Daily.

[00:08:16] And thank you so much to Stephen for giving us permission to narrate from his blog here on our show, and you can come visit his site, which I have linked in this episode's description, as well as at oldpodcast.com. Stephen started Life Skills That Matter back in 2016

[00:08:30] with the idea of showing you how work is changing as you know it and how you can change work to your advantage. He's been working for himself since getting laid off on Election Day in 2000, and these days he's obsessed with researching and experimenting with alternative ways of working.

[00:08:44] And he now makes enough money to live the life that he wants without losing his mind from overworking. Stephen also has a podcast where he has interviewed over 500 people who have made the transformation to self-employment and it is called Life Skills That Matter podcast.

[00:08:58] You can also find that on his site, which again is lifeskillsthatmatter.com. So that is it for another edition of Optimal Work Daily, which I hope you enjoyed, and I will see you right back here tomorrow where your Optimal Life awaits.