Overcoming Inertia: Getting Unstuck and Moving Forward
From feeling "jammed" to finding your jam.
Do you ever get jammed, like sheets of paper in a printer?
I do. Sometimes, now less often, but still.
It's a state where I lose momentum, give in to the pull of gravity for a little too long, and bam, inertia catches me.
The Anatomy of Getting Stuck
At first, you kind of enjoy this state.
It's always preceded by something: you're tired, busy, or maybe discouraged. Either way, something gets in the way and you pause.
You do, but the world doesn't.
So even though you don't move, you slowly sink deeper, and the longer you wait, the harder it is to get going again.
For me, it was a combination of things:
My routine/daily structure was gone (long summer holidays)
It was hot
I was busy with other commitments
I was plain tired
I hustled for a bit, and then it was just too much for too little.
And so here we are: I need to press the START button again. Resume.
The Best Advice (see if applies)
1. Don't stop, so you don't have to start again.
2. If it's too late for that, start as soon as you can.
3. Don’t make a big deal out of it.
Sometimes we get a bit deeper, a bit further, and we simply need to start again, if we choose to do so. Because sometimes we no longer want to (ever hear of the post-pandemic Great Resignation?)
The state of getting jammed is when you know you do want to get going. Your mind is already switched on and coming up with a lot of new ideas and a long list of tasks, but your body hasn't caught up on the agenda. There seems to be a disconnect between your intentions and actions greater than the standard, daily procrastination.
Overcoming Inertia Toolbox
1. Show yourself compassion: You're not a wuss; you're human. Being kind to yourself is tactical - it works much better and faster than any guilt trip or shaming.
2. Accept friction: We don't live and operate in a vacuum; life always serves us some friction. Depending on the amount of friction we get, we may lose some momentum sooner or later, but it will inevitably happen. Don't fight nature; accept it and move on.
3. Just start: Bit by bit. No extra points for style. It's about getting the ball rolling again, putting one foot in front of another. You don't need to feel excitement; it doesn't have to feel great - that will come later.
4. Understand laws of nature:
Humans, like the rest of nature, are cyclical. We're not designed to perform the same way daily. That's for machines.
Objects at rest tend to stay at rest.
Motivation (and mood) follows action.
5. Act despite feelings:
"Do the thing, and you will get the energy to do the thing."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Or as Rich Rolls says: "You can't feel your way into acting better; but you can act your way into feeling better." Take action despite how you feel about it!
I’m a fan of Morita Therapy approach to that - if that piqued your interested, you may want to listen to Gregg Kerch’s lecture to learn more [Gregg Kerch | The Art of Taking Action](
6. Be honest with yourself: If you're constantly feeling "almost ready," it might be a sophisticated way of admitting you simply want to do the thing but don’t feel like doing it. There may be a good reason why you don't - be specific about it - but it's always good to be honest about it.
7. Go super casual: here’s the heart of the “feeling jammed” state: the bigger the deal we make out of it, the harder it is to start. It’s like locking your eyes and mind on a spider and staring at it under a microscope. Don't lose perspective.
8. Surprise yourself by taking action:
Don't make a big deal out of it. Planning adds pressure.
The thing that works best for me is using a timer: instead of telling myself a fancy lie that I will 100% get down to decluttering my home or writing my newsletter first thing in the morning” I go: “… or I will just set my timer for 10 minutes, hell, even 2 minutes, and start NOW”.
9. Lower expectations: Just get going again. Don't expect it to feel good (although it might) or get you anything spectacular.
The goal is to start, and keep starting.
So, let's get unstuck and start building momentum.
All Over Again.