How To Overcome Obstacles
The definition of success: “The ability to move from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
What’s hindering you to reach your fullest potential? Mr. Churchill, like the rest of us, saw his fair share of obstacles in his lifetime. But he overcame them.
When it comes to overcoming obstacles or failures, many of us just don’t know what to do, where to begin, or how to move forward when adversity strikes. Moreover, it can become a struggle to resume our course and get back on track after that bump in the road! In a society of “ I want it now,” we rarely take the time to plan and prepare ourselves for detours in our lives. To first understand how an obstacle has come into existence, we need to understand how it manifested to begin with and how to we need to progress once it’s been identified.
Take those blinders off!
Many times, we choose not to admit there is an obstacle or hinderance in our path. We’ll blame everyone and everything else for our problems, issues, or detours, except the actual reason responsible for our hiccups: ourselves! If things just aren’t going your way, step back and take a good, long hard look in the mirror. Being open and honest with yourself is the first step to any positive outcome!
When adversity strikes, accept it and take advantage of time.
Some obstacles may take longer to get around than others. Use time management to set the stage for a plan of action. Many things will not be resolved immediately. It’s best to have a goal and then break down that goal into smaller, realistic achievements that you can work towards and achieve in a timely manner. Trying to overcome all issues or obstacles at once is a possible recipe for failure and more backward versus forward progression.
Discipline.
When you set goals, how determined are you to follow through with a course of action to achieve that goal? We all can “talk the talk,” but, can we all “walk the walk” when adversity hits? It’s so easy to become distracted, frustrated, and disengaged when we come across obstacles or detours. It takes discipline, perseverance, and an “eyes always forward” approach to get over hurdles and achieve success!
Stop banging your head against that same wall! The same actions will produce the same outcomes. If you’re consistently trying to lose those last five pounds, the scale isn’t budging, and you’re still eating the same diet, then a new course of action/diet needs to be introduced. Step outside of the box, get creative, use your imagination and take an alternative path to tweak that detour to achieve success!
Solicit support.
We all like to think that we’re strong and independent but sometimes, tough times call for a tribe of support to help get us through. Support from friends, family, and colleagues will not only give us the drive and determination to get past obstacles, but they may also offer insight as to why we’re dealing with the obstacles in the first place!
Remember, at the end of the day, we don’t grow unless we get challenged or challenge ourselves. I have encountered life-changing obstacles in my life. At the time, they were difficult, painful, tragic, and time consuming. Looking back though, these hurdles have made me who I am today and if I had the option to go back and change the course of history, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Don’t let your obstacles hold your goals hostage. Be proactive and face adversity head on. In the end, you’ll be glad you did!
By Helen Fritsch
