Feeling Stuck? The Science of Finding Another Way Forward

Imagine you're working toward something that matters to you.

Maybe you want to change careers, build a healthier routine, meet new people, or create something of your own.

You know what you want. You've thought about it plenty.

But every time you consider taking action, you come back to the same obstacle.

"I don't have enough time."

"I wouldn't know where to start."

"What if it doesn't work?"

Eventually, the obstacle can start to feel like the only thing you see.

But what if the way you've been approaching the problem isn't the only way?

That question is at the heart of creative problem-solving.

And psychological research suggests that learning to generate alternatives, consider obstacles, and approach goals flexibly can be useful skills.

Why do we get stuck thinking there's only one way forward?

When something matters to us, it's natural to become attached to a particular outcome.

Sometimes we also become attached to a particular method of achieving it.

Imagine someone whose goal is to get healthier.

They might decide that success requires going to the gym for an hour every morning.

But when their schedule makes that impossible, they conclude that they can't make progress.

The original goal was improving their health.

The obstacle was one specific routine.

Those aren't the same thing.

A key part of effective problem-solving is learning to distinguish what you want to achieve from the particular approach you've chosen.

That distinction creates room for alternatives.

Instead of asking, "Why can't I do this?" you can ask, "What else might work?"

What does science say about generating alternative solutions?

One of the strongest connections comes from research on structured problem-solving.

Problem-solving therapy is a psychological approach that teaches people to identify problems, generate possible solutions, evaluate alternatives, and put chosen solutions into action. [1]

A 2009 meta-analysis published in Clinical Psychology Review examined 21 independent samples studying problem-solving therapy for depression. [1]

The researchers found that problem-solving therapy was more effective than no treatment or supportive control conditions and performed comparably to other established therapies.

Importantly, the analysis found that programs teaching the complete problem-solving process were more effective than those teaching only selected components.

The successful approach wasn't simply telling people to think positively.

It involved specific skills:

• Clearly defining the problem.
• Generating alternative solutions.
• Making decisions.
• Implementing solutions.
• Evaluating the results.

This suggests something valuable: producing possibilities is useful, but choosing and acting on one matters too.

Read the 2009 meta-analysis.

What have larger studies found?

A 2018 meta-analysis examined 30 randomized controlled trials involving 3,530 participants. [2]

It found that problem-solving therapy was effective for adult depression, although the estimated effects varied substantially between studies.

When researchers focused on nine studies with a low risk of bias, the effect was smaller but still statistically significant: Hedges' g = 0.34.

This matters because it provides a more conservative picture than relying on the most optimistic results.

Structured problem-solving appears to be helpful, but it isn't a guaranteed solution to every problem.

Read the 2018 meta-analysis.

Can we actually become better at creative thinking?

Creativity is often treated as something people either have or don't have.

But research suggests that certain aspects of creative thinking can be trained.

A 2004 study published in The Journal of Creative Behavior examined 156 creativity-training programs. [3]

Researchers compared different types of training, including approaches focused on idea generation, cognitive skills, and imagery.

They found that training in idea production and cognitive processes was particularly effective.

Imagery-based training, by contrast, was generally less effective in the analysis.

The findings suggest that creativity isn't only about waiting for inspiration.

Practicing how to generate and evaluate new possibilities may be more useful than simply imagining a better outcome.

That's an important distinction for manifestation practices.

Visualizing what you want can be meaningful, but figuring out different ways to move toward it serves a separate purpose.

Read the creativity-training research.

Three ways to find another path forward

When you feel stuck, you don't necessarily need a breakthrough.

Sometimes a small change in how you approach the situation is enough to create a useful option.

Here are three approaches worth trying.

1. Find a smaller path

Ask yourself:

"What would a much easier version of this look like?"

Suppose you want to start exercising.

Your original plan was to work out five days a week.

But you've struggled to begin.

Instead of treating the entire goal as impossible, consider a smaller starting point.

Could you take a ten-minute walk?

Try one workout this weekend?

Spend five minutes stretching?

These alternatives don't accomplish the entire goal. They make the next action more approachable.

There's also a connection to goal-setting research.

In a classic 1981 experiment, psychologists Albert Bandura and Dale Schunk studied children learning mathematical skills. [4]

Children given smaller, near-term goals showed greater progress and stronger perceived capability than those assigned more distant goals under the study conditions.

Although the setting was educational and doesn't establish that tiny goals always work best, it provides evidence that nearer-term goals can support motivation and performance.

Read the goal-setting study.

2. Try a different approach

Ask yourself:

"If my original plan isn't working, what else could get me closer?"

Suppose you want to build stronger friendships.

You might assume that the only solution is meeting lots of new people.

But perhaps another approach would be reconnecting with an old friend, joining a recurring activity, or spending more quality time with someone already in your life.

The underlying goal hasn't changed.

You've simply expanded your options.

This is one principle behind creative problem-solving: instead of evaluating only your first idea, deliberately consider alternatives.

Not every alternative will be better.

But you can't evaluate an option you haven't considered.

3. Look for a new perspective

Ask yourself:

"What assumption am I making that might not be true?"

Suppose you want to pursue a creative project but keep thinking:

"I need to be really good at this before I begin."

Is that necessarily true?

Could starting as a beginner actually be part of learning?

Sometimes an obstacle is a real constraint.

Other times, part of the obstacle is how we've interpreted the situation.

Psychologists study the ability to adapt our thinking and behavior under the broader concept of psychological flexibility.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis examined 67 unique studies involving 9,123 participants in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy research. [5]

The researchers found that improvements in psychological flexibility were associated with reductions in distress.

This doesn't prove that changing your perspective will solve an external problem.

But it supports the broader importance of being able to respond flexibly rather than remaining caught in one rigid pattern.

Read the 2024 review.

How do you turn a possibility into real progress?

Generating alternatives is an important first step.

But an idea only becomes useful when it informs a decision or action.

Research on goal achievement helps explain why.

In 2006, psychologists Peter Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran published a meta-analysis examining implementation intentions. [6]

Implementation intentions are specific plans connecting a situation to a behavior.

For example:

"If it's Monday after work, I'll take a ten-minute walk."

Or:

"If I feel overwhelmed by the project, I'll work on one small part for five minutes."

Across 94 independent tests, the researchers found that implementation intentions had a medium-to-large positive effect on goal attainment (d = 0.65).

Their findings suggest that defining when, where, and how you'll take action can help bridge the gap between wanting something and doing something.

Read the implementation-intentions meta-analysis.

Why combining imagination with planning matters

A 2021 meta-analysis examined a related strategy called mental contrasting with implementation intentions. [7]

This involves imagining a desired outcome, identifying obstacles, and creating a specific plan for responding to them.

Across 21 studies involving 15,907 participants, the researchers found a small-to-moderate positive effect on goal attainment (Hedges' g = 0.336).

They also identified possible publication bias, and bias-adjusted estimates were smaller.

The broader lesson is important:

Imagining possibilities can help you consider where you want to go. Planning and taking action help you test how to get there.

Tappling's specific AI-generated suggestions have not been clinically validated. Generating ideas does not guarantee progress or cause external outcomes through thought alone.

Read the 2021 meta-analysis.

Try this: The Three Possibilities exercise

Think of one aspiration, goal, or situation where you're feeling stuck.

It doesn't have to be something enormous.

Perhaps you want more confidence, stronger relationships, a healthier routine, or progress on a project.

Now ask yourself three questions.

1. What's a smaller path?

   Imagine reducing the difficulty of your original approach.

   What's one easier version you might be willing to try?

2. What's a different approach?

   Forget your original plan for a moment.

   What other strategy might help you move toward the same goal?

3. What's another perspective?

   Is there an assumption you could question?

   Could the situation mean something different from what you've been telling yourself?

You don't need perfect answers.

Even one possibility that hadn't occurred to you before can be worth considering.

An example

Suppose your aspiration is to feel more confident socially.

Your possibilities might look like this:

Notice that none of these suggestions requires you to suddenly become a different person.

They're simply options.

You can decide whether any of them fits your circumstances.

Does considering more possibilities always help?

Not necessarily.

Generating options can help you escape a narrow way of thinking, but endless exploration can become another form of avoidance.

If you repeatedly generate ideas without ever choosing one, you may remain stuck.

Similarly, not every problem can be solved by adopting a new perspective.

Some obstacles involve real limitations, difficult circumstances, or other people's behavior.

The goal isn't to convince yourself that every challenge has an easy solution.

It's to recognize when another workable approach might exist.

A useful balance is to explore several possibilities, select one that seems realistic, and consider whether there's a practical next step.

You can always revise your approach after learning more.

You don't need to see the whole path

Sometimes, when we're working toward something meaningful, we imagine that there's one correct route.

One perfect decision.

One opportunity we absolutely can't miss.

And when that path becomes difficult, we start wondering whether the dream was unrealistic all along.

But a goal and the route toward it aren't the same thing.

You can change your approach without abandoning what matters to you.

You can begin smaller.

You can try something different.

You can question an old assumption.

And sometimes, giving yourself permission to consider another possibility is enough to make the next step easier to see.

That's the idea behind Open to Possibilities, Tappling's Explore exercise.

With your companion beside you, you can choose an aspiration or something on your mind and explore three ways forward:

• A smaller, more approachable path.
• A different strategy.
• A fresh perspective.

You can save any possibilities that resonate with you and revisit them later.

Saving a possibility is optional and does not create a tracked action.

You don't have to commit to a solution immediately.

For now, you're simply exploring what else might be possible.