WHEN YOU'RE STUCK...
You don't always need another answer Sometimes you need to see it differently
You know that feeling.
Going around in circles in your own head. Replaying the same thoughts. Knowing you want to move, but not seeing how.
You don't need to figure everything out right now. You don't need the perfect answer.
You just need a different question to open up a possibility you couldn't see before.
Ready to attack your stuck?
Pick a way to play. Stay curious. See where a different question takes you.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Take a moment. Choose a card. See what opens up.
Think about what's on your mind. Perhaps you've been going around in circles with the same thought, facing a decision or wondering how to move forward.
Fan out the cards, face down, so you can see them all.
Take a moment. Notice which card draws your attention. Choose the one you're curious about and turn it over.
Read the WHAT IF... question slowly. You don't need to know why you chose that card, and you don't need to find an immediate answer.
Let the question take you somewhere you might not have gone on your own.
This is the shared ritual. The three methods below explain what to do with the question once a card has been chosen.
There are no right or wrong answers.
There are three ways to find another way forward.
Use one card to explore something on your own, three cards to look at a situation from different angles, or the cards to discover new perspectives together.
THE SOLO DRAW
One card. Your situation. A different perspective.
- 1Bring a situation to mind.
Think about what feels stuck. What have you been going over in your head? What question, decision or situation would you like to see differently?
You don't need to explain it perfectly. Just bring it to mind.
- 2Choose your card.
Use the shared card-selection ritual: fan the cards face down, choose the one that draws your attention and turn it over.
- 3Explore the question.
Read the WHAT IF... question slowly. Give yourself a moment before trying to answer.
What comes to mind? Does the question make you notice something you hadn't considered? Does it challenge an assumption or open up a different possibility?
- 4Find your next step.
Use THINK → ANSWER → DO → SHARE to explore your response.
- THINK
- Pause and notice what the question brings up.
- ANSWER
- Respond honestly, in your own words.
- DO
- Choose one small action or experiment you could try.
- SHARE
- Write down what you've discovered or share it with someone you trust, if you want to.
Writing down your thoughts can help make them clearer. Sharing your intention with someone can create accountability and make you more likely to follow through.
You don't have to solve the entire problem. Sometimes a different perspective or one small next step is enough.
THE THREE-CARD JOURNEY
Past. Present. Future. A journey towards what comes next.
Use three cards to explore a situation from different angles. Look at what you've experienced, what you can see differently now, and what you want to move towards.
PASTPRESENTFUTURE- 1Bring a situation to mind.
Think about something you'd like to explore. It might be a decision, a recurring challenge or something you want to change.
- 2Choose your PAST card.
Fan the cards face down. Choose one that draws your attention and place it face down on the left.
This is your PAST position.
- 3Choose your PRESENT card.
Think about the situation as it is today. Fan the cards again, choose another card and place it face down in the middle.
This is your PRESENT position.
- 4Choose your FUTURE card.
Think about what you'd like to move towards or what you'd like to be different.
Choose a third card and place it face down on the right.
This is your FUTURE position.
- 5Reveal the questions.
You now have three face-down cards arranged from left to right: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE.
Turn each card over, starting on the left. Read each WHAT IF... question and reflect on it in relation to the situation you brought to mind.
Give yourself time with each question before moving to the next.
Important: The cards shown in the Playbook are examples. There are no special cards for the past, present or future. You choose which cards go in each position, based on what draws your attention.
CARD 1 - PASTWhat have I tried, and what have I learned?
Read the question on your card. As you reflect, think about the situation you had in mind when you chose it.
What does the question help you notice about what you've already experienced? What have you learned? What has or hasn't worked?
This is about understanding your experience, not judging yourself.
CARD 2 - PRESENTHow could I see this differently?
Read the question on your card in the context of your situation today.
What does it make you question or reconsider? What else might be true? What have you not considered? What resources or possibilities might already be available?
You don't need to agree with the question or find an immediate answer. Stay curious about what it opens up.
CARD 3 - FUTUREWhat future do I want to move towards?
Read the question on your card while thinking about what you want to be different.
What possibility interests you? What would moving towards it look like? What might you be willing to try?
Let the question help you explore a direction rather than pressure you to have a complete plan.
Then ask:
NOW WHAT?
Look across all three cards.
What have you learned from the past? What can you see differently now? What future do you want to move towards?
Choose one small action that connects what you've learned to what you want next.
Use THINK → ANSWER → DO → SHARE throughout the process. Write down your reflections or simply think them through.
Putting your thoughts into words can make them clearer. Sharing your intention with someone you trust can create accountability and make you more likely to follow through.
You are allowed to try another way
THE SHARED PERSPECTIVE
Different people. Different perspectives. More possibilities.
Use the cards with a friend, partner, coach, colleague, team or group.
You can each explore something of your own, or you can bring one shared challenge to the group. The aim is to discover what becomes possible when people look at a situation from different angles.
- 1Decide what you're exploring.
If each person has their own challenge, invite everyone to think quietly about something they'd like to explore.
Alternatively, the group can agree on one shared challenge that everyone will explore together.
- 2Fan out the cards.
Spread the cards face down so everyone can see and choose from them.
If everyone is exploring their own situation, invite each person to choose one card and keep it face down until everyone has chosen.
If the group is exploring one shared challenge, the person bringing the challenge can choose a card first, or each participant can draw a card to bring a different perspective to the same situation.
- 3Reveal the questions.
Once everyone has chosen, turn the cards over and read the WHAT IF... questions aloud.
Give everyone a moment to think before the conversation begins.
- 4Share in turn.
For individual challenges, take turns sharing the situation you're exploring, the question you drew and what it makes you think about.
For a shared challenge, invite each person to explain how their question might offer a different way to approach the situation.
Listen to understand rather than jumping straight into advice. Different answers are welcome.
- 5Explore together.
Invite curious questions:
What stands out to you? What hadn't you considered before? What other possibility can you see now?
If someone wants input, the group can explore the question with them. If they prefer to reflect privately, respect that.
- 6Decide what comes next.
Each person can choose one small action or insight to take away. If the group is exploring a shared challenge, agree on a useful next step if appropriate.
The STUCK-ATTACK Code
- Stay curious.
- Respect the person. We can laugh together, but never at someone's challenge.
- Don't rush to fix. Listen first and offer advice only when it is wanted.
- Look for another possibility.
- Sharing is an invitation, not an obligation. Anyone can pass.
The same card. A different perspective.
You can return to a card as often as you like.
What feels relevant today might mean something completely different next week or next month. Your circumstances change. You learn new things. You start to see possibilities you couldn't see before.
The card hasn't changed. What you bring to the question has.
Sometimes, the next insight comes from looking at the same question with fresh eyes.
THINK → ANSWER → DO → SHARE
The same four steps support all three ways of using the cards.
- THINK
Read the question slowly. Pause and notice what comes to mind.
- ANSWER
Answer honestly, in your own words. You do not need a perfect or complete answer.
- DO
Choose one small action, experiment or change in perspective you can try.
- SHARE
Write down what you discovered or share it with someone you trust. Putting your thoughts into words can clarify your thinking. Sharing your intention can also create accountability and make you more likely to follow through.
Sharing is optional. You can keep your reflections private.
WHEN YOU FEEL GENUINELY STUCK
Name what feels stuck in one sentence. Choose a card and let its question approach the situation from a new angle.
If the question does not fit, try another card. You do not have to force an answer or make a decision immediately.
Sometimes the useful result is a new question, a possibility you had not considered or a small next step.
The aim isn't a perfect answer It's another possibility
You don't have to see the whole way forward. Start with a different question
“Question your fears. Don't question your dreams”