Surprising: How to get unstuck by telling yourself different story

It’s weird, isn’t it?

You’ve got all the time in the world. You’ve got exciting projects lined up, just waiting to be tackled.

But…

You can’t seem to fire up your engines. You can’t even get the car rolling.

You tell yourself that if you push through and get to work, you’ll feel fulfilled, make money, and even take a step closer to the dreams that stir your soul.

But that pep talk? It falls flat. It fizzles out like a dud firecracker, despite all the right words.

And what do you do next?

You start thinking you’re lazy. Unmotivated. Maybe you’re just not cut out for it. Your passion’s drained, and your enthusiasm feels like it’s vanished into thin air.

But then, you remember—you’ve been here before. You’ve faced tough spots like this, some even worse.

That thought gives you a little comfort, but it doesn’t quite ignite the spark—the one where the words flow effortlessly, the ideas cascade, and you’re amazed by your own productivity.

You reach back into those golden moments, reliving them, and slowly, your energy starts to rise.

A creative flicker sparks in your mind. Maybe, just maybe, you’re about to break through.

No, it’s not magic. You’ve simply talked yourself out of the slump.

Writers in these moments tap into something bigger, pouring words onto the page until a powerful, captivating post emerges—effortlessly, almost like it was waiting to be written.

The issue isn’t that you lack talent. The problem isn’t that you don’t have potential or capability.

The real problem is the story you’re telling yourself.

Your mindset, your mood, your creativity—all of it hinges on the narrative you create.

When you’re stuck, it’s easy to tell yourself that this only happens to you. Everyone else is thriving, and the universe seems to be against you. You convince yourself that no matter how hard you work, failure is your inevitable end. It’s a story of defeat that feels all too real.

“Aren’t the rules of the universe just unfair to me?”

(Sigh. Poor you, right?)

But here’s the other story. The real one.

You could tell yourself, “This is a challenge, and I will figure it out. Others before me—people I’ve never met, and people in every corner of the world—have faced worse, and they’ve made it through. I can too.”

Every difficulty holds an opportunity. Every obstacle is part of the path. Every hurdle is a stepping stone.

The stories we tell ourselves are the foundation of our success.

They can either lift us up or hold us down.