The Positive Power Of Obstacles

From as far back as I can recall, I was conditioned to think that obstacles were a bad thing. They weren’t so desirous and were to be avoided at all costs. With time, however, obstacles thrown at me became both foe and friend.

Many times, obstacles became a foe when I got stuck in the details of what they could do to me. They left me feeling like I was a fish out of water. Instead of focusing on the bigger picture, I became obsessed on how I would breath through my gills. Instead, I should have been concentrating on the rhythm of the waves. My effort should have been to focused on wiggling myself towards the surf and hope to catch the next wave back into the water.

The few times that I embraced the obstacles, I made significant gains in my life. These obstacles became part of the big picture. The pain and challenges they threw at me became my inspiration towards a higher goal. They became springboards rather than impediments. I began to find success in areas that I previously wouldn’t have thought of venturing into, such as leadership coaching.

“Success is determined not by whether or not you face obstacles, but by your reaction to them. And if you look at these obstacles as a containing fence, they become your excuse for failure. If you look at them as a hurdle, each one strengthens you for the next.” ― Ben Carson, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story

We shouldn’t see obstacles as a hindrance to our dreams and aspirations. They can be the starting-gun to an amazing life that will influence the way people you interact with feel, think and act. When obstacles come our way, they can catalyze progress in what we are doing. However, this progress will be determined by three catalysts; Focus, Discipline and Sacrifice.

Focus – Why am I working at it it? You can’t have the privilege without the responsibility [TweetMe]. When you focus on the big picture, your mindset changes. Anything in the way of that vision is looked at from a different perspective. My question now becomes how I can use this situation to get me where I need to be; to help build authentic leaders. “Often it isn’t the mountains ahead that wear you out, it’s the little pebble in your shoe.” ― Muhammad Ali

Discipline – Obstacles become springboards only if you choose to to keep at it no matter what [TweetMe]. You choose to train your body, mind and spirit everyday. Your time isn’t spent on things that steal your time. You read, you explore, you imagine. Knowledge becomes your new currency and giving of yourself your daily mantra. “A bruise is a lesson… and each lesson makes us better.” ― George R.R. Martin

Sacrifice – This involves discarding everything else that will hinder your progress. In any championship, the prize doesn’t always go to the most experienced and best trained. It most often than not is won by those that showed up for practice, endured the pain, and above all, desperately wanted the prize and made the sacrifice [TweetMe]. “It still holds true that man is most uniquely human when he turns obstacles into opportunities.” ― Eric Hoffer

What obstacles are you facing? How can you use them to get you to the next level? Leave your comment below…

 photo credit: symphony of love via photopin cc