Stuck? How to Shift Your Mindset With a Few Powerful Questions

3) What am I willing to do to make it the way I want it?

We all get stuck sometimes, don’t we?

Stuck on a thought, stuck in a pattern of thinking, stuck in a cycle, stuck on a problem.

Stuck.

But I have learned through my coaching of others that powerful questions are the key to shifting our mindset, our thoughts, our perceived problems into solutions, movement forward, taking right action.

Here is one of my favorite series of questions to help us shift.

1 What is really great about this problem?

I really love this question.

Here’s the deal. You are required to come up with 20 things that are really great about this problem.

Yes, 20.

Here’s what happens.

First, you want to stomp your foot, pout like a child, and say, “There is nothing great about this problem!”

I’ve done that. I really have. So, have my clients. I have given myself, and them, permission to do this.

You feel silly, smile at yourself, and immediately begin feeling the shift in mindset! How can you not?! So ridiculous to act like a kid about your adult “problem”.

You will easily find 2–3 practical things that are great about your problem. Then, you get stuck. You pause. Hmm, what else? You might come up with another 2–3 things.

Then, the magic really happens.

Say, what?!

You begin to get into silly and ridiculous answers.

This is the magic!

When we get into silly and ridiculous, our mindset shifts more. We get playful. We get outrageous.

You are breaking down the stuck-ness.

I cannot tell you the number of times my life, and the life of a client, has changed, because we get into the ridiculous things, and decide to move forward, take action, embrace one of those ridiculous solutions, thoughts, ideas, conclusions!

Remember, at least 20 things. It might take a few hours, or even days, to get to 20. That’s fine. It’s important to keep going.

2 What is not perfect yet?

I love this one, too.

The “yet” is very important.

It allows you to get out of those thoughts of “I can’t do this!”, “This is so hard!”, “I’m not good enough!”, “I’ll never….” to really begin to think about what you would really like your solution to look like.

What do I really want my life, my work, my relationship, my health, my way forward to look like?

3 What am I willing to do to make it the way I want it?

Such a powerful question!

Hmm. Not what I “should” do. Not what someone else thinks I “should” do. Not what anyone else would do.

What I am willing to do.

This shows you how important this issue is to you.

It creates clarity and focus.

You are beginning to brainstorm the decisions and action items that will create movement, create the shift, create the solution, get you unstuck.

4 What am I willing to NO LONGER do in order to change my situation?

This helps you shift out of a cycle of thinking and doing that no longer serves you.

More clarity and focus, here.

This, also, helps you set boundaries moving forward.

No more of ____!

5 How can I enjoy the process while I tackle this challenge?

Another great shift in mindset, self care, supporting yourself.

We all want to enjoy the journey, our life, our work, our relationships, our health, so we need to accept responsibility for what that looks like for each of us.

So, what, specifically, does that look like for me?

Final Thoughts

Powerful questions can create powerful results.

But, we need to do the work, to create the shift.

I am a life coach and small business coach. I help others get really clear on the life and work they would love to manifest, know that they can have it, and help them create it. Visit me at https://www.lauraraduenz.com