When I mow the backyard, I have a rough pattern I tend to follow. But not always.

Sometimes I make sure I get to the really thick section before the battery runs out. Other times, I need to go back because I clearly missed a spot. Or a clump of weeds. Or I don’t feel like moving Adironack chairs at that moment, so that area has to wait.  By the end, I’m mostly just happy I’m done.

Getting unstuck can look a lot like that. You may have a rough idea of where you’re going. A plan. A sequence. A way you think it should unfold. But real progress is rarely that tidy or straightforward.   Sometimes:

🔹 You need to tackle the hardest part while you still have the energy.

🔹 You realize you missed something important and need to circle back.

🔹 The thing bothering you is small, but you know you won’t be able to ignore it.

And often, you aren’t looking for a breakthrough. What you really need is help navigating tricky terrain.

There’s a behavioral economics principle that explains why a predetermined plan rarely survives the real situation: 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺.  We rarely make decisions with perfect information, unlimited energy, or a completely clear view of what lies ahead. We work with what we know, make the best call we can, and adjust as the terrain reveals itself.

That is often the work I do with people. I help them step back and see the whole yard: what needs attention now, what can wait, what they keep circling around, what is draining the battery, and what “done” actually needs to look like.

Not every path needs to be perfectly straight. In fact, it rarely is. You need a way through that makes sense for where you are, with the energy, information, and options you actually have. Adjust to the terrain to find the path that works best.