Feeling stuck is a common human experience and almost all of us will go through it at some point in our lives. Whether it’s relationship struggles, dissatisfaction with work, an inability to progress financially, or a pending midlife crisis, all of these situations can bring up a range of mixed emotions like anxiety, fear, anger, and even numbness. We are joined today by Adam Alter, whose new book Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most serves as a much-needed guide to help readers escape inertia and flourish in the face of freedom. Adam is a professor of marketing at New York University's Stern School of Business with an affiliated appointment in the New York University Psychology Department. His research is primarily focused on judgment, decision-making, and social psychology, and his two previous books, Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink, are both highly acclaimed New York Times best-sellers. In today’s episode, we talk with Adam about the concept behind Anatomy of a Breakthrough, the many forms that feeling stuck can take, and what he has learned about getting unstuck. Tuning in you’ll learn about the fundamentals of goal-setting, why striving for excellence is infinitely more sustainable than settling for nothing less than perfection, and how learning to enjoy the journey will help you find meaning and avoid the aimlessness that can come after achieving your goal. We also get into the nature of breakthroughs, the role of luck and creativity, plus a whole lot more. To hear all of Adam’s thought-provoking insights and practical advice on getting unstuck, be sure to tune in!

Timestamps:

0:00:00 Intro
0:03:47 What it means to be stuck
0:06:27 What being financially stuck looks like
0:12:12 Whether or not people can be stuck in their general well-being
0:14:12 Why people tend to question their lives on the arrival of a new decade
0:21:02 Adam explains what "Lifequakes" are
0:27:18 How one can prepare for the inevitable lifequakes we will have in our lives
0:31:56 How creativity affects a breakthrough
0:37:35 The role that luck plays in breakthroughs
0:43:05 The practical difference between striving for excellence and perfection
0:50:18 The risks of being incapable of reaching the pinnacle of your own definition of success
0:55:44 How individuals should process the successes of other people
0:58:25 Dan defines success in his life

Links From Today’s Episode:

Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/t....
Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Rational Reminder on Instagram —   / rationalreminder  
Rational Reminder on X —   / rationalremind  
Rational Reminder on YouTube —    / channel  
Rational Reminder Email — [email protected]
Benjamin Felix — https://www.pwlcapital.com/author/ben...
Benjamin on X —   / benjaminwfelix  
Benjamin on LinkedIn —   / benjaminwfelix  
Cameron Passmore — https://www.pwlcapital.com/profile/ca...
Cameron on X —   / cameronpassmore  
Cameron on LinkedIn —   / cameronpassmore  
Adam Alter — https://adamalterauthor.com/
Adam Alter on LinkedIn —   / adamleealter  
Adam Alter on Twitter —   / adamleealter  
Hal Hershfield — https://www.halhershfield.com/
Bruce Feiler — https://www.brucefeiler.com/

Books From Today’s Episode:

Anatomy of a Breakthrough — https://adamalterauthor.com/anatomy
Irresistible — https://adamalterauthor.com/irresistible
Drunk Tank Pink — https://adamalterauthor.com/drunk-tan...