Do you feel stuck? Like no matter what you do, you’re just spinning your wheels? That lack of momentum is costing you more than you think. It’s not just about missing goals or seeing slow growth—it’s killing your potential, draining your energy, and keeping you stuck in a loop of frustration.
When it comes to leadership, momentum is the key to progress. Yet, many leaders find themselves stuck, struggling to move forward. The reasons aren’t always obvious—and I have identified 3 common patterns from my work with ambitious entrepreneurs.
If you’re wondering why you’re not making progress, here are 3 reasons that are holding you back. But more importantly, let’s talk about the cost of staying stuck. The pain of being stagnant. The opportunities you’re missing every single day. And why things need to change—now.
1. You’re Not Dreaming Big and Specific Enough
Most people don’t set goals based on what they truly desire. Instead, they set goals based on what feels achievable or reasonable. What makes it even worse is that they aren’t specific enough. Vague goals kill momentum because they fail to provide clarity or urgency.
Here’s the hard truth: vague goals are the silent killers of your momentum. When you’re not specific and your dreams aren’t big enough, you’re setting yourself up for mediocrity. Every day that you keep your goals unclear, you’re paying the price in frustration and miscommunication with your team.
The Cost of Being Vague
Vague goals don’t just keep you stuck—they create confusion, wasted time, and frustration for your team. Without a clear direction, everyone’s pulling in different directions. Misaligned efforts. Missed deadlines. Endless debates on what “success” even looks like. Your team feels lost, and so do you.
- Frustration: When your goals are unclear, your team can’t deliver what you need. They’ll try, but it won’t be right, leading to constant frustration.
- Rework: Vague goals mean people will have to redo their work because it wasn’t what you wanted—because you didn’t know what you wanted.
- Lost Time: Every day without a specific target is a day lost. How much longer are you willing to waste?
Example:
One client kept saying, “Let’s increase revenue.” Sounds good, right? But the team had no idea what that meant. What kind of revenue growth? By when? Through which strategy? The team was stuck, and nothing moved. Once we broke it down to a specific, measurable goal—“Increase revenue by 10% this quarter by focusing on upselling current clients”—the team knew exactly what to do. Results followed immediately.
The Pain of Small Thinking
Small dreams create small results. If you’re only setting goals you know you can achieve, you’ll never push your boundaries. You’ll never inspire yourself or your team. You’ll wake up every day wondering why things aren’t moving, while deep down, you know you’re capable of so much more.
Start Being Specific Today:
- Stop saying “someday” or “as soon as possible.”
- Start defining exactly what you want, when you want it, and how you’ll measure success.
- Remember that dreaming big doesn’t mean dreaming vaguely. Be bold, but be clear.
2. You’ve Become a Spectator in Your Own Life
Think of this scenario: Why does a pen fall? You could say, “Because of gravity.” That’s the easy answer, but it leaves you powerless to change anything. Instead, try saying, “Because I let it go.” Suddenly, you’re no longer a spectator—you’re a player. You see your role in what happened and understand that you have the power to create a different outcome.
“The market is down, so growth is slow.” “The team isn’t motivated, so projects are delayed.” While these reasons might seem valid, they place you in a passive, spectator role—someone who watches things happen without control.
Let’s be real: when you let external circumstances dictate your outcomes, you’re playing the role of a spectator, not a leader. You’ve given up control. Every time you blame the market, your team, or any outside force, you’re slowly handing over your power.
The Cost of Watching From the Sidelines
Spectators have no momentum because they aren’t driving anything. They’re reacting to life instead of creating it. You tell yourself, “There’s nothing I can do because the market’s tough,” or “It’s just how my team is.” You let yourself off the hook, but deep down, you know it’s costing you.
- Stagnation: You’re stuck because you’re not taking action. Watching from the sidelines means you’re not in the game.
- Lost Opportunities: While you’re busy blaming external factors, you’re missing out on chances to create real change and momentum.
- Powerlessness: The longer you play the spectator, the more powerless you feel. It’s a slow, draining process that saps your confidence and kills your ability to act.
Example:
One client said his team was always late with projects. His excuse? “That’s just how the industry is.” But when we looked deeper, we found the real problem: he hadn’t set clear expectations. He was the reason for the missed deadlines, not the industry. He was watching from the sidelines, not taking responsibility.
Be the Player, Not the Spectator:
- Stop blaming circumstances.
- Start identifying what you can control and act on it.
- Remember: Momentum happens when you take ownership, not when you watch things happen.
3. You’re Being Too Reasonable
Being reasonable might sound like a good thing, but when it comes to momentum, reasonable thinking can be the enemy of bold action.
Here’s something no one tells you: being reasonable is killing your dreams. If you’re only setting “realistic” goals that feel comfortable, you’re not just holding yourself back—you’re dooming yourself to mediocrity.
Momentum doesn’t come from reasonable thinking. Leaders who create massive results start by declaring a future that doesn’t yet exist, then they work backwards to make it happen.
The Cost of Being Reasonable
When you stick to what’s reasonable, you limit yourself to safe, incremental growth. You might achieve modest success, but you’ll never experience the massive breakthroughs that come from bold moves. You’ll stay far from where you really want to be.
- Missed Breakthroughs: Playing it safe means you’re missing out on the breakthroughs that only come from taking risks.
- Comfort Zone: You’ll stay in your comfort zone—safe but unfulfilled. You’ll wonder why things aren’t changing, but deep down, you know it’s because you’re not pushing yourself.
- Lack of Inspiration: When you set goals that feel safe, you rob yourself—and your team—of the chance to get fired up, excited, and passionate about the future.
Example:
Another leader I worked with wanted media coverage for a nonprofit but couldn’t afford ad space. Instead of playing by the rules, they flipped the game and invited media outlets to become partners. The result? Free coverage, brand recognition, and a huge impact. Sometimes, all it takes is flipping the script and daring to be bold.
Stop Playing Safe
Reasonable action doesn’t inspire anyone. They don’t create excitement, and they don’t lead to breakthroughs. Every day you choose to stay reasonable, you’re choosing to stay stuck. You’re choosing small wins over life-changing leaps. You’ll feel the weight of missed potential, knowing you could’ve done more, but didn’t.
Stop Being Reasonable Today:
If you want real momentum, you need to stop playing it safe and take bold, unreasonable actions. Here’s how:
- Make Unreasonable Requests: Ask for opportunities, partnerships, or support that feel out of reach. You’ll be surprised at who says yes.
- Take a Leap: Instead of inching forward, take one big, bold move that scares you—whether it’s launching that idea, pursuing a massive client, or restructuring your team.
- Flip the Game: When the usual path feels limiting, change the rules. Instead of following the typical route, try an unexpected approach that opens up new opportunities.
The Cost Is Real—And It’s Growing Every Day
The cost of staying stuck isn’t just slow progress—it’s the loss of your potential, the missed chances to build something bigger than yourself, and the deep, nagging feeling that you’re not living up to what you’re truly capable of.
What to Do
You already know the pain of not having momentum. The question is, what are you going to do about it?
It’s time to get specific with your goals, start playing as a leader, and stop being reasonable. You don’t have to stay stuck. You can create momentum, but it starts with making bold moves today.
I’m running the Immediate Momentum Challenge, a small, invite-only experience for a few select leaders. You join, declare a bold goal, and by the time it’s over, you’ve taken actions you’ve been avoiding for months. Entry is based on commitment & certain terms.