How Do You Know When You've Hit a Wall? Recognize the Signs

The Feeling of Hitting a Wall: What Does It Really Mean?

Honestly, we’ve all been there. You're pushing yourself at work, in a personal project, or even in life in general, and suddenly—boom. You feel stuck. It's like you hit a wall, and no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to move forward. But how do you know when you’ve truly hit a wall, and not just facing a temporary setback? It’s frustrating, to say the least, but understanding when it’s time to reassess can make all the difference.

When I faced a tough period in my career, I had that exact feeling. I wasn’t getting anywhere, despite putting in the hours. The more I pushed, the more exhausted I felt, and I started questioning my abilities. That’s when I realized: I hadn’t just hit a wall—I had reached my limit. So, let’s dive into the key signs that show you’ve hit a wall.

Common Signs That You’ve Hit a Wall

Exhaustion, Mentally and Physically

Let’s start with something super obvious—exhaustion. But not just the usual tiredness from a long day. I’m talking about feeling drained, with no energy left to keep going, whether it’s physically or mentally. You might feel like no matter how many hours you sleep or how much coffee you drink, you just can’t recharge.

I remember working on a project once where I kept telling myself, "I just need one more hour, I can finish this." But the next day? Same cycle. It wasn’t until a friend pointed it out—"You’re burnt out, dude"—that I realized I was hitting a wall. Sometimes, exhaustion isn't just about sleep—it's your mind and body telling you it's time to stop and reset.

Lack of Motivation and Passion

Another clear sign you’ve hit a wall is lack of motivation. Think about a time when you loved what you were doing—whether it was a hobby, a work project, or a personal goal. But then, slowly, it starts to feel like a chore. You’re no longer excited, and pushing yourself feels like dragging your feet through mud. It’s no longer fun, and you might even start to avoid the task altogether.

Honestly, I’ve experienced this more than once. There’s nothing worse than that nagging feeling of dread when you’re supposed to be excited about something you once loved. When your enthusiasm drops off the radar, it’s a major red flag. It’s often a sign that you’ve been pushing too hard without enough space to breathe.

Emotional and Mental Fatigue: It's Not Just About Tiredness

The Psychological Toll: Overthinking and Doubt

When you're stuck, it’s easy to get trapped in your head. You overthink everything. You start doubting yourself—"Am I good enough for this?" "Why can’t I get this right?" These negative thought patterns are often linked to hitting a wall. They eat away at your confidence and make it harder to see a way forward. The more you question yourself, the harder it is to break free from the mental block.

I remember once, during a particularly frustrating work period, I found myself obsessing over every little mistake. Every missed deadline felt like a personal failure. The thing is, I was so stuck in my own doubts that I couldn’t see the simple solutions in front of me. It took stepping back and talking to a colleague who said, "You’re being way too hard on yourself. Everyone hits a wall at some point." It was a simple reminder, but it snapped me out of my mental spiral.

Physical Signs of Stress: Body Clues You Can’t Ignore

Here’s something that many people overlook when they’re “hitting a wall”: the physical signs of stress. Tension headaches, muscle stiffness, a tight chest—these are all clues your body is giving you. When your body is constantly in a state of stress, it can eventually lead to burnout or even physical illness.

I had a phase where I was so stressed out from trying to juggle everything that my back started hurting all the time. It wasn’t until I saw a physiotherapist that I realized it was stress manifesting physically. Sometimes, the wall you’ve hit isn’t just in your mind—it’s also in how your body reacts to the pressure.

How to Break Through a Wall

Recognizing When It’s Time to Rest

Okay, so you’ve hit a wall. What now? Well, the first step is to acknowledge it. If you’re constantly running on empty, it’s not going to help to just push through. I know, it’s tempting to think that more hours or harder work will get you through, but trust me, sometimes the best thing you can do is rest. Step away, recharge, and give yourself some grace.

Change Your Approach: Step Back and Reflect

Another thing I’ve learned is that sometimes the best way to get past a wall is to change your approach. When I was stuck in a rut with my work, I realized I wasn’t giving myself enough space to think creatively. I was too focused on the daily grind. So, I started taking short breaks, changing my environment, and even picking up a hobby I hadn’t done in years. It was like a reset button for my brain.

Sometimes, just shifting your perspective can open up new ideas and solutions.

Conclusion: Hitting a Wall Doesn’t Mean You’ve Failed

In the end, hitting a wall doesn’t mean you’re failing. It’s just a sign that you need to pause, reflect, and reassess. Whether it’s exhaustion, mental fatigue, or physical signs, it’s important to listen to your body and mind. Rest, reflect, and change your approach when needed. And always remember, it’s okay to hit a wall—it’s a natural part of growth and progress.

The real question is: how will you break through it?

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.