Moment 136: 3 VITAL Questions To Ask Yourself If You're Feeling Trapped In Life (Relationships, Work & Financially): Adam Alter

Annie Duke

And that's why I write the book, because I think there is a way to get unstuck in almost every case.

Adam Alter

I'm convinced of that. And that's why I write the book, because I think there is a way to get unstuck in almost every case.

Lydie Klotz

There's a great book called Subtract by Lydie Klotz that's on this exact topic.

Guest: Adam Alter

Episode summary

In this moment, professor of marketing and best-selling author, Adam Alter discusses how to become unstuck in life, work and relationships. The first thing is to understand what it actually means to become stuck, this often means judging whether to keep going with a particular path or to quit. In these instances Adam thinks it is best to think about the opportunity cost of leaving a goal behind, especially as research shows that it is nearly always a good idea to keep going beyond the point where it starts becoming hard as this is where growth happens. However, too often we quit as we view any sort of difficultly as a problem. One of the key ways that Adam thinks we can become unstuck is by simplifying a problem as much as possible, we can do this through what he calls a friction audit. This means knowing what is and isn’t important, what’s getting in the way, and how you can subtract it. Listen to the full episode here - https://g2ul0.app.link/GZHEMyQyMEb Watch the Episodes On Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/%20TheDiaryOfACEO/videos James: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMb0O2CdPBNi-QqPk5T3gsQ https://www.jameshoffmann.co.uk/

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Annie Duke

The host mentions 'Quit' by Annie Duke as a resource for understanding how to navigate feelings of being stuck. They…

Adam Alter

The host discusses the concept of being 'stuck' in various creative pursuits and how it can be subjective. They menti…

Lydie Klotz

The host discusses the concept of simplifying problems by focusing on what to subtract rather than add, which is a ce…

Grit

Angela Duckworth

The host discusses the balance between perseverance and knowing when to quit, referencing Angela Duckworth's book 'Gr…

getting unstuck(1)importance of subtracting(1)overcoming creative blocks(1)perseverance versus quitting(1)

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The conversation centers on getting unstuck.
A second recurring theme is importance of subtracting.
Referenced books include Quit by Annie Duke and Anatomy of a Breakthrough by Adam Alter.
The strongest audience signal points to Individuals feeling stuck in various aspects of their lives. and Individuals struggling with creativity or feeling stuck in their pursuits.

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Quit by Annie Duke, Anatomy of a Breakthrough by Adam Alter, and Subtract by Lydie Klotz are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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Deep Dive(3)Highly Recommended(1)

Audience signals

Individuals feeling stuck in various aspects of their lives.Individuals struggling with creativity or feeling stuck in their pursuitsIndividuals and business professionals seeking to improve problem-solving skillsIndividuals seeking guidance on perseverance and personal growth.

Books Mentioned

The full list below is ranked by how useful each mention is to a listener: stronger recommendation language, clearer quote context, and better timestamp support rise first.

Annie Duke

Best for Individuals feeling stuck in various aspects of their lives.Often cited around getting unstuck

“Quit is about quitting, presenting an alternative perspective on perseverance.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: getting unstuck

For: Individuals feeling stuck in various aspects of their lives.

Key quote: “And that's why I write the book, because I think there is a way to get unstuck in almost every case.”

The host mentions 'Quit' by Annie Duke as a resource for understanding how to navigate feelings of being stuck. They believe the book provides valuable strategies for overcoming obstacles and making decisions about when to persevere or quit.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Adam Alter

Best for Individuals struggling with creativity or feeling stuck in their pursuitsOften cited around overcoming creative blocks

“Anatomy of a Breakthrough leans in the direction of perseverance.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: overcoming creative blocks

For: Individuals struggling with creativity or feeling stuck in their pursuits

Key quote: “I'm convinced of that. And that's why I write the book, because I think there is a way to get unstuck in almost every case.”

The host discusses the concept of being 'stuck' in various creative pursuits and how it can be subjective. They mention 'Anatomy of a Breakthrough' as a resource that offers strategies for getting unstuck, emphasizing the importance of understanding one's emotional state in the process.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Lydie Klotz

Best for Individuals and business professionals seeking to improve problem-solving skillsOften cited around importance of subtracting

“Subtract is on the topic of simplifying problems by removing unnecessary elements.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: importance of subtracting

For: Individuals and business professionals seeking to improve problem-solving skills

Key quote: “There's a great book called Subtract by Lydie Klotz that's on this exact topic.”

The host discusses the concept of simplifying problems by focusing on what to subtract rather than add, which is a central theme in Lydie Klotz's book 'Subtract.' This approach is highlighted as a way to enhance personal and professional effectiveness by reducing friction in various situations.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Grit

Angela Duckworth

Best for Individuals seeking guidance on perseverance and personal growth.Often cited around perseverance versus quitting

“Grit is all about sticking through and continuing on, making the case for perseverance.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: perseverance versus quitting

For: Individuals seeking guidance on perseverance and personal growth.

Key quote: “You've got Angela Duckworth's Grit, which is all about sticking through and continuing on.”

The host discusses the balance between perseverance and knowing when to quit, referencing Angela Duckworth's book 'Grit' as a significant contribution to the conversation. The mention of the book highlights the importance of resilience in overcoming feelings of being stuck in various pursuits.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Weekly source-backed picks

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Quit

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett · 3:24

And that's why I write the book, because I think there is a way to get unstuck in almost every case.

Anatomy of a Breakthrough

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett · 3:21

I'm convinced of that. And that's why I write the book, because I think there is a way to get unstuck in almost every case.

Subtract

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett · 7:38

There's a great book called Subtract by Lydie Klotz that's on this exact topic.

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Mentioned at 3:24

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Annie Duke

The host mentions 'Quit' by Annie Duke as a resource for understanding how to navigate feelings of being stuck. They believe the book provides valu…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Mentioned at 3:21

Check price Jump to mention

Adam Alter

The host discusses the concept of being 'stuck' in various creative pursuits and how it can be subjective. They mention 'Anatomy of a Breakthrough'…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Mentioned at 7:38