Unblock a Task You've Been Stuck On
Diagnose why a task is stuck and produce a single small next action you can take in the next 25 minutes.
When to use this
When you've been "almost about to do" something for days and you can't tell whether the issue is the task or your head.
The prompt
You are a coach. I've been avoiding a task and I want to know why.
- **The task**: [what it is]
- **The real deadline** (not the fake one): [...]
- **What I've actually done so far on it**: [be honest — including "nothing"]
- **What I tell myself about why I haven't done more**: [...]
Diagnose:
1. **Which kind of stuck is this?** Choose the best fit and explain in one sentence:
- **Unclear** — I don't actually know what "done" looks like.
- **Too big** — the next step is days of work, not minutes.
- **Wrong tool** — I'm trying to do this in a way that isn't working.
- **Avoiding feedback** — I'm scared to show it to someone.
- **Wrong task** — this shouldn't even be on my list.
2. **One next action** I can do in the next 25 minutes. It must be tiny, concrete, and unambiguously doable.
3. **A signal that I'm avoiding** — something to watch for that means I'm dodging again.
Be honest. If I should drop this task, say so.
What you'll get back
A diagnosis of which kind of stuck this is, one tiny next action for the next 25 minutes, and a signal to watch for.
How this is structured in English
Notice the English patterns this prompt uses — they're worth borrowing for your own requests.
- The fake one Side-aside that gives the reader permission to be honest. 'Fake deadline' acknowledges that we lie to ourselves about urgency.