Feeling Stuck? Small Steps for Building Momentum
Small steps — they’re where everything begins, right? No one sprints into long-term success, and no entrepreneur wakes up one day with a fully built business empire. And, my friend, you didn’t get to where you are now by accident. Whether you’re building a company, a brand, nurturing a side hustle, or managing the daily chaos of running a small business, you started with one small action. Right?
And if you’re feeling stuck now? That’s okay.
You’ll get out of it the same way you got in — one tiny step at a time!
This blog post is here to remind you of the power of small steps. Small steps are for reaching big goals and in getting unstuck when everything feels a bit foggy, slow, or frustrating. Whether you’re navigating a creative block, wrestling with burnout, or just not feeling the spark like you used to, you’re not alone, and you’re definitely not broken!
You’re human. Let’s talk about what to do next.
The Power of Small Steps to Reach Big Goals
Think back to when you started this journey — your business, your project, your goal. Did you leap from zero to 100? Nope. You probably started with that single step: buying a domain name, sketching out a logo, or offering your service to a friend.
Those small efforts? They mattered. They were the beginning of something bigger!
And the truth is, that same magic still applies when you’re stuck.
When I started Simply Sunni, I didn’t have a fancy website, a team of creatives, or a fully booked calendar. What I did have was one chinchilla blog gig, a $15 check, and a determination to show up every single day. That first blog post wasn’t glamorous, but it was my small step, and it taught me how to research, write for SEO, and meet a deadline.
From there? One odd job led to another. One small client. One referral. One new service. Before I knew it, Simply Sunni was more than a side hustle — it was a calling. And it all began with one small ‘yes.’
You don’t need a huge breakthrough. You just need to start with a simple task. Something so easy it feels almost laughable — like writing one sentence of your blog post, replying to a single email, or setting a 5-minute timer to brainstorm.
Why start small?
Because small things lead to big results. That’s not just fluff — it’s psychology.
Tiny actions have positive psychological effects: they give you a quick win, boost your confidence, and start shifting your mindset from stuck to steady.
Feeling Stuck is Normal!
Let’s be real for a second— getting stuck sucks!
It’s frustrating. It makes you doubt your skills, your ideas, and your direction. But here’s what you need to hear: feeling stuck is an entirely normal part of growth.
Every entrepreneur, creator, and go-getter hits walls. Sometimes, it’s exhaustion. Sometimes, it’s fear. Other times, it’s just… life. Hitting a rough patch doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re human.
“There is always a step small enough from where we are to get us to where we want to be. If we take that small step, there’s always another we can take, and eventually a goal thought to be too far to reach becomes achievable.”
8 Small Efforts That Lead to Dramatic Changes
Let’s stop waiting for the perfect time or some lightning bolt of clarity. Let’s take a look at the practical strategies that help you move forward — one small habit, one simple step at a time.
Here’s what I am thinking:
1 | Start Now
The first step to getting unstuck? Just start. Not tomorrow. Not when you’ve had your coffee.
Now.
It doesn’t have to be glamorous or even productive-looking. It just needs to happen. Send that email. Open your notebook. Take the small action that tells your brain: We’re back in motion.
Momentum isn’t magic. It’s movement.
2 | Take It Slow
Speed isn’t the goal here — progress is. Take the pressure off. One tiny step is enough for today.
Think of it like pushing a stalled car: the first inch is the hardest, but once you start rolling, everything feels easier.
3 | Brainstorm and Prioritize
Still feeling overwhelmed? Break those ambitious goals into manageable pieces.
Start by:
- Listing out your long-term goals
- Breaking them into small goals that you can tackle this week
- Identifying 1–2 simple tasks to do today
Suddenly, that mountain becomes a staircase. And guess what? You’re already on the first step!
And, hey! Mark Twain even battled with building momentum, at times. He says,
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and starting on the first one.”
4 | Ask for Feedback
Sometimes the quickest way out of your own head is to invite someone else in. Call a friend. DM a fellow business owner. Post a question on social media. The resources are endless if you simply reach out.
Ideas of what you could ask:
- “What would you do in my shoes?”
- “Where do you see potential I might be missing?”
- “Does this idea resonate with you?”
Getting feedback can spark ideas and bring clarity — or at the very least, remind you that you’re not alone on this path.
I remember early on, I had written a blog for a small business and felt unsure if it was any good. So I reached out to someone I trusted and asked, “Does this sound like me?” Their encouragement gave me the confidence to keep going, and some of their suggestions even made me better. Don’t be afraid to open yourself up to constructive criticism. It’s how we grow.
5 | Explore for Inspiration
Fuel your brain. Read a business book. Watch a TED talk. Listen to a podcast about someone who built their dream from scratch, just like you’re doing.
Look up to the experts, but with caution:
Inspiration should lift you up, not drag you into comparison.
If you feel deflated instead of inspired, take a break! Your journey is uniquely yours.
6 | Reflect
Take a quiet moment and ask yourself:
- What excited me about this in the beginning?
- What used to feel fun that now feels heavy?
- Am I trying to do too much at once?
- What’s something small I can let go of?
- Is this just a rough patch, or do I need to pivot?
Reflection gives you data — emotional data — and that’s valuable fuel for making better daily decisions.
7 | Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Sometimes the best way to shake the stuckness is to shake up your daily routine.
Here are some things to try:
- Working from a different location a few times a week
- Taking a class to learn a new skill
- Saying yes to that opportunity you’ve been avoiding (hello, local craft fair booth!)
- Reaching out on social media to tell your story
It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Even a small habit change — like waking up 30 minutes earlier to plan your day — can lead to sustainable change.
8 | Be Patient and Celebrate the Small Things
Repeat after me: Small success is still success!
Please, please, please, celebrate:
- Posting to your social media three times this week
- Creating a new pricing sheet
- Sticking to your morning routine for three days straight
- Saying “no” to something that didn’t align with your long-term goals
These daily actions stack up. They become good habits. They build confidence. And eventually, they become second nature.
I can still remember celebrating the first time someone shared one of my blog posts. It wasn’t viral, by any scope of the imagination, but it was seen. That tiny win reminded me why I started and gave me the push I needed to keep showing up.
And now, years later, I still celebrate the small stuff: a client thank you, a finished course workbook, a sweet comment from someone who found encouragement in my words. Don’t skip the little wins. They’re the foundation of your legacy.
Famous Success Stories That Started with Small Steps
Yep, I am guilty of this one! We often look at people who’ve “made it” and think they must’ve always had it together. But the truth is that most of them started exactly where you are: with an idea, a little courage, and one small step.
Here are a few inspiring examples:
- Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, started with $5,000 in savings and an idea she believed in. She sold fax machines by day and worked on her prototype by night, all before becoming the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. (Fun Fact: She was in the graduating high school class just under me. Yep, we went to Clearwater High together.)
- Howard Schultz grew up in public housing and started as a salesperson for a coffee equipment company. His visit to a small coffee shop called Starbucks led him to believe coffee could become a daily ritual, and we all know how that turned out!
- J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book in cafés while on public assistance, scribbling down chapters during her daughter’s naps. She kept going through twelve rejections before finally landing a publishing deal.
- Walt Disney was once fired from a newspaper job for “lacking imagination.” He started his dream with hand-drawn cartoons in his garage and built a legacy, one sketch at a time.
Each of these stories started small, just like you and me. One step, one idea, one brave decision at a time.
The Takeaway: Every Big Goal Starts with One Small Step
So, my friend, if you’re feeling stuck, breathe. Step back. Then take a simple step forward. That’s it. No pressure, no perfectionism.
You don’t need a full blueprint for your future. You just need to take the next step. Then another. And another.
That’s how you build momentum.
That’s how you create meaningful results.
That’s how you rise — one tiny action at a time.
