You May Think You’re Stuck, But the World Keeps Moving

Most of us feel stuck at some point in life.

But are we?

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

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

Previous. That’s the keyword.

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?

He’s not. He pivoted a different route which is of course the right thing to do for his family.


You know the lesson I’m trying to say.

Some incidents 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 are new routes. They 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:

Find a different point of view.

For example: “I’m not actually stuck. I’m doing what is necessary for my current situation.”

And this might surprise you. But there’s something you can do.

Find a sweet spot — it’s a position where you have the time and energy to work on your dreams without compromising your new responsibilities.

What is it? It’s worth figuring out.