Feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’re not moving forward—it’s an opportunity to reassess, refocus, and realign.
Summary: Lately, I found myself feeling stuck. Looking back at the past few months, I realized that my progress didn’t match my expectations. Despite taking action, I had shifted focus multiple times, pursued different ideas, and ended up feeling scattered rather than intentional. I needed a way to regain direction without sacrificing creativity. By implementing a 90-day challenge, I created a system that helps me balance focus and flexibility, ensuring I make meaningful progress while still allowing space for new ideas. This approach has already led to increased clarity, motivation, and engagement. In this article, I’ll share how I restructured my time and energy to move forward with purpose.
Key Points
- Feeling stuck is an opportunity to reassess your approach, not a sign of failure.
- Trying everything at once can lead to overwhelm—focus creates momentum.
- Creating a structured plan with clear goals and time allocation helps maintain consistency.
- A backlog for new ideas prevents distractions while allowing for future exploration.
- Having a system in place provides clarity, motivation, and joyful execution.
The Frustration of Feeling Stuck
There was a moment recently when I reflected on my year and felt frustrated.
I had big ambitions for my team lead role, my coaching business, and my personal life. I was actively working on different things, but instead of feeling accomplished, I felt like I was spinning in circles.
I started questioning myself:
- Am I truly moving forward, or am I just busy?
- Why does it feel like I haven’t made the progress I expected?
- What can I do to regain focus without sacrificing creativity and exploration?
The realization hit me—I wasn’t lacking action. I was lacking focus. The challenge wasn’t about working harder but about working smarter and being more intentional about where I invest my time.
Realizing the Need for Change
When I took a step back, I noticed a pattern. I hadn’t consistently put in the effort toward the goals I originally set. Instead, I allowed myself to be pulled in different directions—following new ideas, shifting my focus, and reacting to opportunities that seemed exciting but weren’t fully aligned with my bigger vision.
At first, this realization was frustrating. I felt like I had wasted time. But instead of dwelling on what didn’t work, I decided to shift my perspective. Trying different things isn’t a failure—it’s part of the process. However, constantly shifting focus without structure wasn’t sustainable.
This is when I decided to implement a 90-day challenge to bring clarity and direction back into my life.
The 90-Day Challenge: A System for Focused Growth
To regain momentum, I broke my goals into a structured 90-day plan, focusing on three key areas:
- Relationships – Strengthening my marriage and friendships by prioritizing connection and quality time.
- Coaching – Growing my business, refining my skills, and taking consistent action toward my vision.
- Finance – Improving financial habits, increasing stability, and making intentional financial decisions.
Instead of feeling pressured to work on everything at once, I gave myself permission to prioritize these three areas while maintaining other aspects of life like health, leadership, and personal growth at a steady pace.
How I Designed My System for Focus and Flexibility
1. Time Allocation for Each Focus Area
I assigned a set number of hours per week to each category:
- Coaching: 5 hours per week
- Finance: 2 hours per week
- Relationships: At least 5 hours per week
This ensured that I consistently invested time into these areas rather than relying on motivation or waiting for the right moment to take action.
2. A Structured Yet Flexible Weekly Schedule
To bring my plan to life, I created time blocks throughout my week:
- Saturday: 2-4 hours dedicated to coaching.
- Weekday evenings: 1 hour for coaching and/or financial planning, plus time for connection with loved ones.
- Sunday: A special connection ritual with my wife and a weekly date night on Saturday.
I designed my schedule to be interchangeable, meaning I could switch activities based on my energy levels, plans with my wife, or even weather conditions. This balance of structure and adaptability made the system feel both effective and sustainable.
3. Creating a Backlog for New Ideas
One of the biggest reasons I had struggled with focus was the constant flood of new ideas and opportunities. To prevent myself from getting sidetracked, I started keeping a backlog—a document where I write down every new idea, project, or possibility that comes to mind.
Instead of feeling pressured to act on every idea immediately, I can now store them for later evaluation, allowing me to stay focused on my current 90-day plan without feeling like I’m missing out.
The First Signs of Progress
Even though I’ve only recently implemented this system, I already feel a noticeable shift:
- I feel more engaged in the activities I’m working on. Instead of feeling scattered, I am fully present in whatever I’m doing.
- I’m seeing measurable progress. Knowing that I have clear time blocks to work on each area has made me more productive.
- I feel more in control. Instead of reacting to every new idea or distraction, I have a structure that keeps me grounded.
- I have more awareness of my time and energy. I now recognize distractions quickly and can redirect myself toward what truly matters.
The best part? I feel excited and motivated again. There’s a sense of clarity and direction that was missing before, and I now trust that my efforts are leading me exactly where I want to go.
Final Thoughts: Progress with Purpose
Feeling stuck isn’t a sign of failure—it’s an invitation to pause, reflect, and adjust course.
I’ve learned that having many ideas isn’t the problem—it’s how we manage them that determines whether they help us grow or hold us back. By implementing a structured yet flexible approach, I have regained my focus without sacrificing creativity.
Now, I no longer feel overwhelmed. I know what I’m working on, when I’m working on it, and I’m excited to execute with joy.
What about you? Have you ever felt stuck despite taking action? How do you regain focus and momentum? Let’s exchange insights!
Engineer Your Life 