Is Your Nonprofit Stuck in Neutral? Because, Same.

So, I’m almost 55.

And I recently had one of those oh, shit moments. You know the kind—where you look around at your life and go, Wait. How did I get here?

Not in a things are terrible kind of way. More like... I’ve been running full speed for decades, working my ass off, doing things I care about. And somehow, I still feel like I’m stuck in the same place.

Like I’ve built this whole career, this whole thing, but instead of climbing, I’ve just been... moving. Constantly. Without actually getting where I want to go.

And then it hit me:

I wasn’t stuck because I was doing the wrong things. I was stuck because I was too comfortable doing the right things.

And full confession?

I told myself I was pushing forward because I was always working.

Always solving problems. Always putting out fires. Always saying yes to the next client, the next project, the next challenge—because that’s what keeps the business moving, right?

But when I finally took a breath, I had to admit: I was playing small.

I was keeping busy instead of getting bold.

I was saying yes to things that were fine—good, even—when what I really wanted was to build something bigger. But I wasn’t doing that, because that would mean letting go of what felt safe.

And there it was. The gut punch.

I wasn’t waiting for an opportunity. I was hiding from the next level.

Sound familiar?

Because this is exactly what happens to nonprofits.

You’re Doing the Work. So Why Does It Feel Like You’re Stuck?

Your programs? Solid.
Your team? Passionate.
Your impact? Real.

But growth?

Momentum?

Visibility?

...Not so much.

It’s not because you’re not working hard enough.
It’s not because you don’t have enough resources.
It’s not because people don’t care.

It’s because you’re stuck in a cycle of doing what’s working instead of what’s next.

I get it. I’ve been there. I’m still there some days. But what I know for sure is this:

If you don’t stop and reassess—if you don’t make some bold moves—you wake up one day realizing you spent the last 20 years keeping things running instead of making them grow.

The Hidden Costs of Playing It Safe

There’s something oddly comforting about sticking with what works.

But in the nonprofit world? That’s how you become invisible.

🚧 It keeps you reliant on the same donors.
🚧 It keeps you fighting for the same small wins.
🚧 It keeps you from getting in front of the people who need to see you.

Meanwhile, the organizations breaking through?

They’re not the ones with the biggest budgets.
They’re not the ones with the most staff.
They’re the ones who are willing to move differently.

So, What Now?

I had to ask myself some hard questions.

👉 Am I spending my energy on the right things?
👉 Am I actually growing, or just staying busy?
👉 Am I waiting for something to change? Or am I making the change?

And now I’m asking you.

Because if your nonprofit feels stuck, if growth feels slow, if you’re tired of being just “sustainable” instead of “thriving”...

It’s time to stop waiting.

How Do You Get Unstuck?

🔹 Get Clear on What Actually Moves the Needle
Not everything needs to be a priority. What’s the one thing that creates the biggest impact? Double down on that.

🔹 Cut What’s Not Working
Just because it used to work doesn’t mean it still does. Let go of the stuff that’s keeping you busy but not moving you forward.

🔹 Expand Your Reach
Collaboration is everything. Who can you partner with? Who’s already talking to the people you want to reach?

🔹 Make Sure Your Team Is on the Same Page
If your staff, board, and volunteers aren’t aligned on the vision, you’re wasting energy. Get clear, get focused, and get moving together.

🔹 Take the Damn Risk
Because the only thing scarier than change? Waking up five years from now in the exact same place.

Your Mission Deserves More Than “Good Enough”

Listen, I could have ignored the nagging feeling that I was running in place.

I could have convinced myself that “good” was good enough.

But I don’t want that for me. And I don’t want that for you.

Because the impact you’re trying to make?

It’s possible.

It’s waiting for you.

You just have to move toward it.