Most of us feel stuck at some point in life.

But I wonder, are we really stuck?

We can all agree that even though we feel stuck, the world keeps moving. Life goes on for everyone.

So here’s my hypothesis: We are not actually stuck — but moving towards a direction not aligned with our previous goals.

Note that I say previous.

Let’s put this in real life.

Here’s an example:

An aspiring musician discovered that his girlfriend is pregnant. So he reluctantly quit playing music. Because he needs to find a stable job and earn enough money for his future family.

Now he thinks that he’s stuck. That he’s a failure.

In this context, his previous goals are mostly music-related. So when the inevitable non-music incident took place, he felt stuck.

But, is he really stuck?

Maybe he’s not. Truth is, he pivoted a different route which is of course part of growing up.

You know the lesson I’m trying to say.

There are incidents that may derail us from reaching our goals. But sometimes these incidents — giving up a career to become a parent, or closing a business to spend more time with family, or quitting the job we love to care for a sick loved one — are the subtle prerequisites to deeply understand ourselves and the reasons why we do what we do.

In other words, these incidents or new routes — which we think are distractions — give us time for reflection. They test our character and help us assess how passionate we are in what we do, or trying to do.

And in some cases, teach us lessons we could have never learned our own.

Of course it’s hard to think that way in the middle of pain and despair. That’s why a lot of people feel stuck or lost.

If you’re in a similar situation, try this:

The next time you feel you’re stuck, find a different point of view.

Because maybe you’re not stuck. Maybe you’re probably doing something relevant to your current situation.

Rather than feeling hopeless or stuck, find a sweet spot — where you can pursue your goals without compromising your new responsibilities.

And that is highly possible.

It’s worth figuring out.