Being stuck is one of those feelings which often get stigmatized. Most of the time we are expected to do things perfectly instead of being encouraged to do them progressively. When we internalize perfection, we may also kill creativity. Successful environments, even those which are highly regulated, generally incorporate trial and error as part of their culture.
In a world that is constantly evolving, and seemingly at a faster rate through the power of technology, being multiskilled has become the norm if one is to keep up with the times. We are expected to learn, unlearn and relearn – which can be exciting for some, but strenuous and quite devastating for others. It is actually about training the mental muscles to not stick to obsolete skills/beliefs and advance to the new relevant and more effective ones.
It can be quite daunting to consistently learn, unlearn and relearn, while expected to have top notch delivery at the same time. What if you are not trained to consistently reconsider the relevance of your strong ability to do something? Do you just become obsolete? What power do you have to overcome this limitation?
One realization that has taken time for me to come to terms with, around constant change in skills demanded, is that I need to ask myself questions. Questions about what I need to do and how it can best be done. Once I have asked myself the question, I then need to consider and assess whether I am the best person to do the task at hand. Is the time and effort of me doing a certain task worth it? Is learning the new skill an investment or will it be a sunk cost? Who can assist me with where I am stuck? Is there someone who can do this task besides me? Can they do it more effectively?
The moment you are stuck, and repetitively ask yourself these questions, you find that you get more clarity on your challenge, and surprisingly there are more than enough people willing to assist than not. But understanding and truly grasping this idea is a tough skill in itself – I still want to do things that someone could do for me at a faster rate. I have to constantly remind myself about the beauty of being stuck – it is an opportunity to ask a simple 3-worded question “WHO NOT WHAT?” (What needs to be done, and who can do it for me?).
I strongly believe it is a skill those who have mastered the ability to ask themselves achieve more in their day, than those who don’t ask themselves. So, my insight from this is, invest in questioning yourself more effectively to achieve more without necessarily doing more. While at the same time benefiting those around you.
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