To make a big decision—the bold move that will change everything for you—requires getting through the “stuck” and landing in action.
The pain of letting go will be eclipsed by the relief of moving on.
—Scott Stabile
During the summer of 2016, I would go to the spa pool across from my office every morning before dawn.
I’d swim in mineral water under the cover of darkness with an occasional bloom of moonlight illuminating the surface. The only audible sounds were rhythmic splashes as I glided back and forth.
Back and forth.
While moving my body felt terrific, I was after clarity and peace.
For years, my soul had been nudging me to pursue two creative dreams—developing and relaunching the Innovation & Creativity Institute with new content and offerings and writing a book.
Dreams that would require a lot of focus, time, and energy.
To do both dreams justice meant selling my real estate enterprise. And this is where I was stuck.
Make A Bold Move, Get Past “Stuck”
Real estate had been my Magic Carpet since 2001, and I had built a top-producing firm filled with people I adored. How could I part with my beloved enterprise and cause everyone to change offices?
Back and forth. Back and forth.
I often joke that I think I swam the equivalent of the circumference of the Earth that summer.
Whether you are an entrepreneur, creator, or visionary leader, you’ve likely felt the suffocating grip of fear when faced with an impending bold move. The uncertainty looms large, whispering doubts into your mind—what if you fail? What if you regret your choice? What if you lose everything?
The weight of these questions can feel unbearable, leaving us trapped in a cycle of hesitation and confusion.
Making a significant change and a bold move is not just about courage; it’s about confronting the storm of fears that try to convince us to stay put. The fear of the unknown, the fear of making the wrong choice, and the fear of disappointing ourselves or others create an overwhelming fog, making it nearly impossible to see the path ahead clearly.
When faced with a pivotal decision, the mind often turns into a battlefield. Logic wars with emotion, past failures haunt the present, and the sheer volume of potential outcomes can leave us paralyzed.
We analyze, overanalyze, and second-guess every thought, searching for a guarantee that does not exist.
It is in this storm of uncertainty that many of us remain frozen in place—not because we lack potential or capability, but because fear convinces us that staying still is safer than moving forward and making a bold move.
One of the greatest traps in decision-making is the belief that clarity must come before action. The truth is, clarity often follows action. No amount of analysis can fully prepare us for the unknown, and waiting for absolute certainty is a recipe for painful stagnation.
Fear tricks us into believing that staying where we are is the safer option. But is it really? What is the cost of staying stuck? The dreams we put on hold? The opportunities we never seize? The regret of never knowing what could have been?
Getting to the Other Side of Stuck
Flip the Script: What If It Works?
Instead of dwelling on what could go wrong, let’s shift our mindset to what could go right. We often hesitate because we imagine worst-case scenarios, but what if this choice leads to something better than we expect?
Ask yourself: What’s the best possible outcome? This small mental shift can create momentum and present paths toward bold moves we hadn’t considered.
The 90-Year-Old You Test
When you’re stuck, zoom out. Imagine yourself at 90 years old, looking back on this moment. Which choice would make you proud? Which path aligns with the life story you want to tell? Decisions feel overwhelming in the moment, but from a wider perspective, clarity often emerges. When in doubt, choose the option that your future self will thank you for.
Run a Low-Stakes Experiment
Instead of treating your decision as a permanent, all-or-nothing choice, turn it into a small experiment. Can you test it out in a limited way—maybe for a week or a month? Taking action, even in a small way, breaks analysis paralysis and gives us real feedback instead of endless what-ifs. Making a bold move is never easy, and the fear of doing so will not magically disappear. But waiting for certainty will only keep us trapped. At some point, we have to decide: Will we let fear rule our lives, or will we step forward despite it?
The weight of indecision is often heavier than the risk of action. We don’t need perfect clarity—just the courage to move.
And when we do, we may just find that the weight we carried was far heavier than the reality of moving forward.
