The Art of Manliness

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The Art and Science of Getting Unstuck

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May 17, 2023

Guest

Adam Alter

Adam Alter, a social psychologist and marketing professor, delves into the universal feeling of being stuck. He reveals that even the most successful individuals have faced periods of stagnation. Adam discusses the 'goal gradient effect' and the illusion of the creative cliff, highlighting how accepting one's stuckness is often the first step toward progress. He shares practical tactics to get unstuck, such as conducting a friction audit and balancing exploration with exploitation, encouraging listeners to embrace failure as a pathway to growth.

46:38

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INSIGHT

Stuckness Defined

Getting stuck is a common human experience, even for high achievers.
It involves a temporary inability to progress in a domain that matters, causing psychological discomfort.

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INSIGHT

Goal Gradient Effect and Plateaus

The goal gradient effect describes a lull in motivation during the middle of pursuing a goal.
Plateaus, where current strategies become ineffective, further contribute to stuckness.

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ANECDOTE

A-ha's Persistence

A-ha's song "Take On Me" faced multiple rejections and revisions before becoming a hit.
Their persistence demonstrates the importance of not giving up when facing setbacks.

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Getting Unstuck: Strategies for Progress

01:51 • 17min

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Embracing Failure for Growth

18:31 • 6min

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Tantalizing Flavors and Memorable Experiences

24:14 • 3min

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Strategies for Getting Unstuck: Embracing Change and Removing Obstacles

27:11 • 4min

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Navigating Creativity: Exploration and Exploitation

30:45 • 18min

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Concluding Reflections and Resources for Further Exploration

49:12 • 2min

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Do you feel stuck in life — that you aren’t making progress in a relationship, job, or goal and you don’t know how to fix the problem and move forward? Well, perhaps you can take a little solace in the fact that it’s a universal human experience, even amongst history’s highest achievers. Indeed, when Adam Alter, a social psychologist and professor of marketing, looked at the lives of successful actors, musicians, writers, filmmakers, and entrepreneurs, he found that they all had passed through times in their lives and careers when they felt totally stuck.

Today on the show, Adam, who’s the author of Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most, explains why getting stuck is an inevitability in life, as well as mindset shifts and practices to escape from stuckness. We first talk about what contributes to getting stuck, including the goal gradient effect, and how the illusion of the creative cliff can keep you from seeing that you may end up doing your best work later in life. We then talk about dealing with the emotional angst of feeling stuck, and how it can be better to initially accept your stuckness than kick against the pricks. From there, we turn to some tactics for getting unstuck, including doing a friction audit and copying the work of others. In my favorite part of the conversation, we discuss the importance of recognizing when to move from exploring to exploiting, and vice versa. We end our conversation with why the mantra for getting unstuck is “action over all.”

Resources Related to the Podcast

Adam’s previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #420: What Makes Your Phone So Addictive & How to Take Back Your Life
a-ha’s video for “Take on Me”
Giannis on whether he considers this season a failure
AoM Article: Meditations on the Wisdom of Action
AoM Article: Want to Become a Better Writer? Copy the Work of Others
AoM Article: Solvitur Ambulando — It Is Solved By Walking
AoM Podcast #418: How to Get Unstuck
AoM Podcast#432: How to Achieve Creative Success
AoM Podcast #512: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

Connect with Adam Alter

Adam on LinkedIn
Adam on Twitter
Adam’s website

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