What do I need to move forward?

A magical question for getting unstuck...

At the start of the month, someone spilt beer on my laptop. As a result, a load of work I had saved on there (and not backed up – use the cloud people!) was lost. Or was it? Who knows, the computer won’t turn on, so I can’t get at it.

For most of the month I’ve been feeling pretty stuck about the whole thing. Not only was it making doing work difficult, but I also kept going round and round on the “is it gone forever or is it retrievable” question. None of the work was irreplaceable, it was mostly stuff that I’d created myself, or things that are re-findable. But then making things out of your head or hunting for things round the internet takes time and energy – neither of which have felt in abundance lately.

I'm always amazed at how long I can spend looping on a problem before I get down to sort it, and how quickly it can be sorted if I just find a way to unlock some action. But I wonder if I’ve hit on a way to unlock action more easily. And the way is to ask yourself the following question until you get down to an action that feels manageable. The question is:

"What do I need to move forward?"

In the context above, the initial answer was, to know if the data is lost. I did try going to Currys, but the laptop cost more to repair than it would to replace. So, I’ve been left with this nagging question. Is the data lost or can it be retrieved. To move forward I need to know, so:

“What do I need to move forward?”

To find someone who knows about computers, who might be able to tell me it’s gone forever or help me retrieve the data. So, “what do I need to move forward?” Google for someone who can help, give them a ring or email.  

Ah! Suddenly, I’m no longer looping on the misery of whether the data is gone forever or just unreachable, I have an action I can do. I’m unstuck and moving forward. Perhaps not quickly, but that horrible worry in the pit of my stomach has gone.

The more I use it, the more I’m enjoying this question. I’m finding it a really helpful way to get things moving. If I ask it enough times, I always hit on something that feels manageable, even if it's just to write a list of all the things that feel unmanageable to see if it really is endless.

But when asked enough, there does always seem to be something that feels ok. The first job might seem incredibly small, sending a text, going to the shop to look at the thing, finding the screwdriver... but once you’ve done that one, there’s usually another tiny job to follow. And another, and before you know it you’ve broken the deadlock and you’re moving. It’s all so much easier once you’re moving!

So, friends, for now, this is my magical cure for getting unstuck, which I’m gifting you for all of your most intractable problems. Feeling stuck on anything lately? Why not give it a go. And remember, if it still feels too big, just keep asking until you hit something you can do. Finding a pen and paper is still a step forwards!