Here’s a foolproof strategy for getting unstuck. You must let go of where you are to get to where you want to go.

Clinging to the security of the familiar ledge prevents us from discovering what awaits us in the future.

The ledges in our lives offer the illusion of safety, but in truth their only value is to keep us hanging.

These ledges take many forms, both concrete and intangible. They can look like unfulfilling jobs, unpleasant relationships, inappropriate goals, untrue beliefs, unhealthy habits, bottled-up emotions.

Every successful woman I interviewed who finally let go told me:

As hard as it was to let go, they credited that single act as the springboard to higher earnings and happier times. 

Here’s the thing. Letting go is never-ending. It’s something we are called to do repeatedly, every time we reach a pinnacle and want to climb higher, or when we hit a snag and need to change course.

Sometimes we have to let go of the very thing we’ve worked so hard to achieve in the first place. Leaving the acceptable to step into the void is the ultimate act of courage.

How do you know when you’ve been holding too long to a ledge? There’s one irrefutable clue.

Whenever you feel stuck or unhappy, it’s time to let go. And invariably, what you need to let go of is the very thing you are most afraid to release. It’s the fear, not the circumstances, that keeps you trapped.

Success can only come when there’s space for it to enter.

What do you need to let go of right now to make room for something better? Tell me about it in the comments below.