Have you ever faced obstacles or problems that kept you from moving forward and achieving certain dreams or goals in your life?
Sometimes these obstacles seem so huge and formidable that we feel there’s no way we could ever overcome them.
But within each obstacle – big or small – lies an opportunity waiting to be discovered, if we know how to look for it.
Maxwell Maltz, the author of Psycho-Cybernetics, said:
“We are built to conquer environment, solve problems, achieve goals, and we find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.”
Most of us, I think, would like to avoid obstacles, problems and pain. But Maltz says we need obstacles to conquer.
Life would be dull, and our growth limited, if we never experienced obstacles, problems, or pain…and, most importantly, if we never learned from these challenges and discovered within us the ability to overcome them.
Five Steps to Overcoming Obstacles in Your Life
What are your three biggest obstacles or challenges in your life right now? Â Here are five steps you can take to overcome these obstacles in your life:
- Welcome and embrace these challenges as opportunities for you to grow and to move closer to the achievement of your dreams and goals.
- Make a list of possible opportunities that exist or may arise from these obstacles. Just start brainstorming – no idea is too far-fetched.
- List possible lessons you can learn from this situation, or blessings you might receive while overcoming the obstacle.
- List people who might be able to help you – whether you know them or not.
- Take Action – Review the lists you’ve written down from the first four steps, and identify some action steps you can take right now…and do them!
Embracing Obstacles is One Pathway to Growth
Many freeze up and quit when faced with adversity and obstacles.
Yet somehow, adversity and obstacles can be a pathway to growth and opportunity in our lives, and can give us a greater sense of appreciation and satisfaction for blessings we’ve achieved and received.
Speaking of adversity, the 17th century poet Anne Bradstreet said:
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
How well do you embrace the obstacles in your life, and creatively design a way to overcome them?
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We keep forgetting that we start facing obstacles/ challenges right from the beginning of our live.
We fail for example day after day until we finally walk. We ‘baby-talk’ even long until get a phrase straight out. Have you ever seen a baby quit walking because it fell again and again -saying: “Okay that’s it, can’t do it, I crawl the rest of my life!”
I believe facing a problem and finding a way to fix it or to deal with it is not the problem. I believe the problem is the lack of direct support and encouragement to overcome these obstacles.
-Anja