We’re at an interesting inflection point in the year. Momentum can slow and it can feel like we’re stalling out.
This is where progress slows down or stops altogether. It can be demotivating and frustrating when it’s you or someone you work with.
What’s happening, and why now?
The year is like a marathon. Most runners quit at one common point. Curious?
It’s not the beginning, when they’re fired up to start. It’s ¾ through at mile 20, after they’ve almost completed the race. It’s when the body feels drained and the brain has lost vision of the finish.
Anyone relate?
It’s how a lot of us feel right now.
2024 for me and for Interleap and this team has been a pivotal year. It started strong with a Big A## calendar, a load of goals and intentions and a solo retreat to Sante Fe, which was both disorienting, uncomfortable and ultimately transformative.
I wouldn’t realize the significance until I reflected on that experience even recently, noticing how much I’ve changed the way I think about growth in my world both personally and professionally.
It’s been rich AND it’s been hard. Summer, a season that should feel relaxed, was packed with extra work, which continued through a blurry season of August and September.
I felt myself stalling…and wondering.
Recently I saw an email come through from a writing coach I follow and she said she was quitting the majority of her business. I felt both awe at her courage and some relief for her journey. I wondered – what would that be like?
I was at Mile 20.
When you’re stalling out, the judgment sets in:
-This is so heavy.
-This path is foggy.
-When can I stop and get some water?
-Why does everyone else get to ____?
-I just want to ___.
Judgment is easy – our brains know exactly how to get there. We have to work a little harder to get to curiosity, but it’s worth the extra effort.
Curiosity is the antidote to judgment when you’re pushing a boulder up a hill and wondering how much further you can go.
When the tension sets in, here’s your chance to challenge your beliefs:
- What’s causing the stall?
- What makes this so heavy?
- What would make it lighter?
- What would make it fun again?
Stalling out doesn’t have to mean stopping.
Take an audit. What is Mile 20 like for you right now? Are you stalling or steady? What do you need to get to Mile 21?
Calendar some time to answer these questions. You’re the only one with the answers and you need to know. So you’ll know how to fuel up and get strong for the finish. That’s where we’ll go next week.