Feeling stuck can be one of the most frustrating experiences in life. Whether it’s building a business, trying to come up with a solution to a problem at work, or putting words down on a page, so often it feels like being stuck on a hamster wheel, trying over and over to move forward without getting anywhere.
That’s exactly where I found myself a couple of years ago.
After months of spinning on the hamster wheel, I finally used the lessons being stuck taught me to develop a strategy to break through.
Here’s how I did it.
My Life At 24
I was working my first job out of college. It wasn’t too bad of a gig - I got to work from home and pretty much all on my own time. But I worked overnight, and getting time off was tricky. Flipping my sleep schedule over weekends and sleeping through most of the daylight hours started to take a toll on me.
Beyond the physical toll, I could feel myself stagnating. I had essentially the same deliverables weekly. I never had to solve problems or come up with solutions; once I had a workflow that worked, I just did it over and over, day - or rather, night - in and night out. I wanted to be challenged, to grow, and to join the rest of the world during the morning and afternoon hours.
So I started applying to jobs.
I clicked “apply” on just about every posting on Indeed that seemed like even a distant match. I applied to dozens of positions, interviewed at a few, and got accepted at zero.
After months of this process, I was stuck. I didn’t like my current job, I had been working nights for two years, and yet no one wanted to hire me.
Or so it seemed.
How I Got Off The Wheel
The first step to getting unstuck was awareness. After multiple job interviews that didn’t pan out, I knew I had to change my approach or I’d keep pushing against a wall that wouldn’t budge.
I took a step back and asked myself a few questions:
- What am I trying to accomplish?
- What am I doing that isn’t working?
- Why am I doing it?
- Is there a different way I could accomplish this?
Let’s dive into my answers for each of those questions.
1. What am I trying to accomplish?
This is an opportunity to dig deep and figure out exactly what it is you’re trying to do. Don’t just look at the surface-level goal; seek to understand the why so that you can effectively come up with a solution.
In my scenario, I wanted to get a new job. But beyond that, I wanted a change to my lifestyle. I wanted to stop working nights but be able to continue working from home. I wanted to make more money, as I had a couple years of experience behind me.
Ultimately, I wanted to be able to better participate in life with my wife, family, and friends, and improve my mental health by working during the day.
Much deeper than just getting a new job.
2. What am I doing that isn’t working?
Answer honestly. Look realistically at your situation and identify the pain point, the obstacle to advancing.
I was applying to jobs via online recruiting platforms, handing in my resume and usually a cover letter over and over. I was getting a very low response rate, even lower interview rate, and no follow-up interviews.
3. Why am I doing it?
If you’re stuck, chances are you’re doing something that isn’t working over and over. You need to figure out why you keep repeating it, even if it’s not working.
I didn’t know how to get a job without cold-applying. It was the way I got my first job and seemed the most traditional. I had heard about building connections or providing value first, but that seemed like way too much work and time. I wanted results quickly and this seemed like the only option.
4. Is there a different way I could accomplish this?
Time to use the answers from questions 1-3 to innovate. This is likely the most difficult step; after all, if there was a different way, wouldn’t you be doing it by now? That’s why we came up with the deeper issue we’re trying to solve and what the obstacles are.
As I thought about different ways to accomplish this, I began to explore the idea of reaching out to connections, building relationships, networking. To do that, though, I had to revise my timeline goals. I had less control over this process, or so it felt, so I had to accept uncertainty about how many jobs I’d be able to apply to and what a timeline might look like.
As I explored further, though, I realized I needed a story and an area of focus. I couldn’t reach out to connections with a work history that ranged from social media team manager to analyst and expect them to have an opening that fit my skills - because what were my skills, exactly?
Before I reached out to anyone, I came up with my story. I put pen to paper and wrote out my work history and how I got there. Eventually, my story emerged - that I studied both international studies and business in college, but ultimately concentrated in marketing because I enjoyed the creative aspects. That led my decision to intern on a social media team. But I also enjoyed the analytical side, and wanted a job that combined the two.
At that point, it was a no-brainer where to focus: marketing. I leveraged by school's alumni network to find a position that fit exactly what I was looking for. Remote, normal hours, a pay increase, and combining both analytics and creative.
I made it through the first interview, telling my story in more detail, and got called back for a second. That was the furthest I had been, and ultimately was able to lock in an offer.
Get Yourself Un-Stuck
Chances are you came to this post because you’re where I was: stuck, repeating the same thing over and over, unsure where to turn.
The first step to getting un-stuck is to have the humility to take a step back and analyze your situation. Answer the questions above honestly. Take your time, roll them over in your mind, go for a walk and think about them. Keep pounding away at the true problem until a new solution presents itself.
And don’t give up if you initially get stuck on getting un-stuck.
