Why You're Still Stuck (It's Not What You Think)

You've been thinking about this decision for a while now.

Stay or go. This path or that one. Play it safe or take the leap.

You've made the pros and cons lists.

You've researched.

You've talked to friends, mentors, maybe even a therapist.

You've lost sleep over it.

And you're still stuck.

Here's what I want you to consider: The reason you're stuck isn't lack of information.

If information was the problem, you'd have solved it by now.

You're smart.

You're capable.

You know how to figure things out.

So why can't you figure this out?

1. The Real Reason You're Stuck: Most people assume they're stuck because they don't know what they want.

But in my experience, both personally and from conversations with professionals navigating career crossroads, that's rarely true.

You're not stuck because you don't know. You're stuck because you're afraid.

Afraid of choosing wrong.

Afraid of closing a door you can't reopen.

Afraid of what people will think.

Afraid of failing.

Sometimes, even afraid of succeeding.

But fear doesn't show up announcing itself. It disguises itself as:

- "I just need more time to think"

- "I'm still weighing my options"

- "I want to make sure I'm being practical"

- "I don't want to make a rash decision"

These sound responsible.

Logical.

Smart, even.

But often, they're just fear wearing a sensible outfit.

Confusion as a Hiding Place: Here's something that took me years to realize: confusion can be a choice.

Staying confused keeps you safe.

You don't have to commit.

You don't have to risk anything.

You get to keep all your options open, which feels like freedom but is actually a trap.

Because options you never choose aren't really options.

They're just escape hatches.

Clarity comes with responsibility.

Once you know what you want, you have to do something about it.

You have to own the outcome.

And that's terrifying.

So we stay "confused" a little longer.

We keep researching.

We keep asking for advice.

We keep waiting for certainty that never comes.

Clarity Doesn't Come Before Action: Here's the shift that changed everything for me: Clarity isn't something you find. It's something you create.

You don't think your way to clarity.

You move your way there.

You make a decision, even an imperfect one, and you learn from what happens next.

The people who seem "clear" aren't people who feel 100% certain.

They're people who decided to stop waiting to feel certain.

They chose.

They moved.

They adjusted along the way.

So What Do You Do Now? If you've been stuck for weeks or months, try this: Stop asking "what's the right decision?" and start asking "what's actually stopping me from deciding?"

Sit with that question.

Be honest with yourself.

Is it fear of failure?

Fear of judgment?

Fear of closing doors?

Fear of what comes next if you actually get what you want?

Name it.

Look at it. That's where the real work is.

Because once you see what's actually in the way, it starts to lose its grip.

And that's when things begin to shift.

If you're stuck at a career crossroads and want help seeing what's actually keeping you stuck, I'm only one call away. Sometimes one conversation is all it takes to start moving. [Book a call here.]