When You Know What to Do and it Still Doesn’t Get Done

You are smart, motivated, and success oriented. You know exactly what you want to do, but somehow it’s not happening. Or you are doing a lot and not yielding the results you are desiring? It’s the toughest spot to be in, the middle. You have past the point of uncertainty (or maybe you never were uncertain) and can see what you want so clearly, but somehow you feel motionless, feet planted firmly on the ground.

There are a myriad of reason that you may feel stuck in the middle. Here are some examples from clients I have worked with:

Trying Too Hard: Even with the best of intentions you can over do things. I have worked with people that put so much detail and time into every task before them that they actually deplete their best energy levels, not to mention their bodies. Sometimes, overdoing something in an effort to force good results yields the opposite.
Setting Unrealistic Expectations: Are you a list person? It’s not a bad thing, but are your lists so long that it would take a team of people to accomplish everything? Making goals that don’t work with your lifestyle and time restrictions will leave you feeling like you can’t catch up. Being unrealistic in the short term will make you feel unsuccessful in the long term.
Not Asking for Help: Even CEO’s of major companies have coaches and consultants. Why? Because even when you know what to do, having someone to present a different angle on moving forward helps you gain perspective. You can also ask a friend or coworker for their input. It doesn’t mean you don’t believe in your own ability to make a decision or achieve something. There might be some small detail that is holding you back, once you discover it a big shift can occur.

There are a few simple, yet effective techniques that you can use to when you find yourself in the middle. The first is just to relax and breathe. It may sound counterintuitive at first, but if you relax your mind and body, getting stuff done becomes easier. You can be more effective from a calm focused brain, rather than a frantic non stop one.

Don’t resist your circumstances. Accept you are in the middle and get comfortable with it. From this place you can focus on your choices and make decisions that feel good to you right now. Too many times we make future based decisions that leave us grasping to get it all done quickly, which puts us right back in frustration and ultimately dissatisfaction with our efforts. Break the cycle by creating a system that feels good to you. Success is emanating a confidence that comes from a joyful and satisfied place.