We’ve all done it. More than once, I’m betting. Whether in big matters or small we have ignored every message, every indicator, every response, every reaction even within ourselves and pursued that one thing we’re stuck on to the point of exhaustion, just to take a deep breath and keep on going. “Stuck on stupid” is not too trite a phrase and I say this from long personal experience in the matter. :/
It takes two things to remedy this. Before trying to resolve the issue of why things aren’t working, stop. Just stop everything. Stop doing, stop problem solving, stop assuming, stop taking action….stop. Not just pause, but actually stop. Don’t just put the car in neutral and leave your foot on the gas, but put it in park, shut it off, get out and take a walk. Because at this point you don’t know what you don’t know and you can’t problem solve what you don’ t know. The one problem solving action you haven’t taken, the one that would help you get there from here is to stop problem solving and look up.
Which is the second thing to do. Look up, look around, take stock of what’s there, not from the preconceived notions of the obsession, but from a point of simply not thinking, just being aware. Sometimes the answer to the problem really is as easy as seeing the sign that says pull. Sometimes it’s more complicated such as with a ninja door where it says pull but there’s no handle. That takes more work to resolve. Sometimes the answer is that what you need isn’t in the building at all but down the street. Or that you should be going into a different building all together. It might be that there’s a rope ladder off to the side and you need to climb it to meet your friends on the roof. Life can be scary or fun or adventure filled like that.
Stop pushing. Life isn’t necessarily easy, but if you’re pushing and getting nowhere, it might not be for lack of effort and it’s probably not a test of your fortitude. Stop pushing and look around. There might be a sign nearby that makes things clear.