Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a professor at Harvard Business School, once said, “My personal law of management, if not life, is that everything looks like a failure in the middle.”

Having experienced my own legions of failures in the middle, I’ve become an expert at getting out of that state. In every case, it has required me taking an action, most often picking up the phone and asking for help. I have a short list of go-to women who will take my call (or text) and get back to me–as I will respond in kind to their similar messages of distress.

“Help, I’m stuck!” Or “Help, I don’t know what to do next.” Or, most often, “Help, I’m afraid of what I have to do next.”

Hearing myself say those words out loud immediately changes the nature of the stuckness. I become aware of what the issue is because I just articulated it to another human being.

Awareness is key.

In my head it sounded more like, “If you had any talent, brains, courage, etc. you’d already know how to do this.” When I say it out loud to a warm and friendly human being, it takes on a more basic, manageable and human size. I’m afraid to call a stranger and ask for information, a favor, a connection. I’m afraid to brainstorm my next chapter. What if nothing comes?

Usually the response on the other end of my outreach call is identification. “Me, too! I’d be scared to call Mr/Ms Important Person.” “I’d be afraid of THE VOID.” “I’m also nervous when asking for help. Yes, I get it.”

As soon as I pick up the phone, everything shifts. I breakthrough the stuckness, and I move on. Often, but not always, to a successful outcome. I regard the failures and rejections as re-directions pointing me to where I’m better suited.

Next Monday night, January 12 from 5:30 – 7:30pm, I am offering a Remarkable Women’s Workshop where ACTION will be the magic word. I have a terrific exercise to share with participants that promises to get you out of your head and into action mode in a way that is effortless. Its simplicity and elegance will surprise and delight you.

Register here and join me for a remarkable experience and move into action with me.