What to Do When You Feel Stuck: A Lawyer’s Guide to Rebuilding Momentum in Business Development

At some point, every lawyer working to grow a book of business hits a wall, and it’s typically not just about time constraints. 

Maybe you feel overwhelmed by options, unsure of what to do first, so you end up doing nothing at all. 

Maybe you hesitate to put yourself out there because you worry you’ll come across as “salesy.” 

Maybe the activities you tried to push yourself to do felt so far outside your comfort zone that you just couldn’t sustain that kind of discomfort. 

Here’s the good news: 

Feeling stuck doesn’t mean you lack motivation. It usually means the next step isn’t clear, easy, or strongly connected to your larger purpose. When you simplify the action and reconnect to why you’re doing it, momentum follows. 

Why You Might Feel Stuck: It’s Not Just You 

Two common psychological patterns often show up when lawyers feel stalled: 

• The Paradox of Choice: 

When you have too many options (who to call, what opportunities to chase), it can create analysis paralysis. More choices can actually make it harder to act. 

• Prospect Theory: 

Our brains fear losses more than we pursue equivalent gains. In business development, this might sound like: “What if I reach out and they say no?” — even though the upside could be enormous. 

On top of that, if a next step doesn’t feel aligned with your autonomy, your specific skill set, or your sense of purpose, motivation can wane fast. 

Business development often requires incrementally pushing outside of your comfort zone. But no one wants to live outside their comfort zone all the time. 

Understanding these patterns helps you see that feeling stuck isn’t a failure of willpower. It’s human nature. 

Luckily, you can work with your brain, not against it. 

Three Simple Ways to Get Unstuck 

1. Identify One Easy, Clear Action You Can Take Today 

Instead of aiming for perfect, aim for possible. 

Pick one small next step: 

• Email one past client 

• Comment thoughtfully on one LinkedIn post 

• Invite one colleague for coffee 

Make it clear. Make it doable. Give yourself a quick win. 

(Coaching Tip: Start where motivation is already naturally high — with relationships and conversations that feel easiest.) 

2. Align Each Action to Your Larger Purpose 

Your firm may have a business development requirement, or you may want to make more money. But those typically aren’t the only drivers behind your efforts. 

When fear creeps in, reconnect to why you’re doing business development in the first place: 

• Who are you excited to serve? 

• What kind of impact do you want your work to have? 

• What kind of practice — and life — are you building? 

When your actions align with purpose, motivation becomes more sustainable. Reaching out feels less like a task and more like an investment in yourself. 

3. Celebrate the Action, Not Just the Outcome 

Because of how we’re wired, it’s tempting to only celebrate big wins: a signed client, a new referral. But you can’t always control outcomes — you can control showing up. 

Every outreach, every conversation, every small move deserves a mini-celebration. 

By celebrating the action itself, you retrain your brain to stay energized toward your long-term goals. 

Final Thought: Forward is Forward 

Feeling stuck usually signals more than just a lack of time. Often, it means you’re facing too many choices, trying activities that don’t feel fully aligned with who you are, or grappling with the very human fear of rejection. 

When you identify one clear move, tie it to your larger purpose, and celebrate the effort, momentum starts to build. 

The next big win? It can start today — with a single email to your client.