From Impenetrable Challenge to First Step: How to Move Forward When You Feel Stuck

Have you ever felt paralyzed by a big project or goal? A challenge that seems so confusing and overwhelming that staying in the comfort zone feels much easier than taking action?

I know that feeling well. In the past, finding the next small action has been both my biggest challenge and my biggest breakthrough. Working in the wilderness has taught me a lot about breaking down intimidating challenges and finding the first step forward.

Here is one story from my very first expedition as a NOLS instructor.

The Snowfield That Looked Impossible

We had to get closer to the snowfield.

From a quarter-mile away, it looked like a vertical, impenetrable wall of rock and ice.

My students were exhausted. We had already spent the day weaving through boulder fields with heavy packs and climbing over downed trees that felt like a giant maze of evergreen pick-up sticks. The sun was lowering, and we were all ready to be “close to camp.” None of us wanted to spend the night in that terrain.

I tried to sound confident: “People, I know we are tired, and I know it looks challenging from here. But let’s walk this quarter-mile closer and see what else we can see.”

What my students did not know was that I felt uncertain and tired, too. This was my first course as an instructor. I had experience moving on snow, but I was new at conveying confidence to nervous beginners.

Clarity Comes From Closer In

We scrambled across unstable boulders the size of microwaves until we reached the base of the snowfield. Packs came off, as they always do when it is decision-making time.

Up close, the truth looked different:

• The slope was steep, but not vertical.

• We could kick secure steps and switchback up for stability.

• The runout was shallow enough, free of rocks, and we had practiced sliding and self-arresting.

• And then my co-instructor appeared at the top of the slope, skiing down on his boots to meet us, ready to help.

Suddenly, it was clear. The wall that looked impenetrable from a distance was manageable once we got closer. We had new information. Support showed up. The impossible softened into possible.

The Lesson

That moment taught me something I carry into coaching, work, and life:

We often cannot see what is truly possible until we get closer to the challenge. From far away, our fears and stories distort the view. But when we take even one step forward, we gain information, perspective, and sometimes unexpected support.

The path forward reveals itself in motion, not in waiting.

Your Turn

What is your current “vertical snowfield”?

• What challenge feels impossible from a distance?

• What could your next step be, just one move closer?

• When you face uncertainty, what is usually your first instinct?

Taking one step closer may not give you all the answers, but it will always give you more information to work with.

And that first step matters most.

If you want accountability, I would love to hear from you. What is your challenge right now, and what is the simplest next step you can take? Share it with me and lindsay.priefert@gmail.com. I would be honored to walk alongside you as you move closer.