Overcoming Obstacles to Success

There are many obstacles to overcome to be successful. This is given no matter what endeavor you are pursuing. The reality is such that there are going to be issues, roadblocks along the way guaranteed. After all, we all know success is not easy, and the journey to achieve our success stories, whether professionally or personally, has its peaks and valleys; you have to be ready for it.

Below are listed a few suggestions that might help to manage them when they happen:

Root cause troubleshooting and diagnosis

Find the root cause fist, and you’ve just found the quickest way of solving a problem. It will take some time to determine. However, it will be time well spent because once you know the root cause, then you know what you are dealing with so you can address and move on.

Research the problem online

The internet is a massive archive of ideas for solving almost any problem. If you run into an obstacle or barrier, someone else most likely has as well. Use the internet’s collective wisdom to help you develop a plan.

Get assistance from others

Recruit your co-workers, family, or friends to help you think of ways to overcome the obstacle. Different people will each have different perspectives on the situation that can often lead to a breakthrough. Sometimes the solutions are right there in places where you least expect it. When we are too consumed, focusing on the obstacle we get into stockiness mode versus troubleshooting.

Ask an expert

If the problem is in an area that is outside your expertise, you might find it useful to bring in an expert. It could be a coach, a counselor, etc., but make sure he/she has solved similar challenges in the past.
Change your attitude toward the situation
Evaluate your approach and see if there is a change in the way you are looking at the situation that might help to overcome the obstacle. Sometimes the problem starts with “us.”

Using trial and error

Experimenting will be needed if all else fails or when your situation is unique. Progress slowly while evaluating each of your solutions as carefully as possible. You may find that it takes a combination of solutions to achieve the best results. Don’t be afraid or regret the trial and error process. I have come to learn they have been the best guide to most of the success and accomplishment I have achieved professionally & personally. It’s within the uncomfortable space of the trial & errors that I have experienced the most growth and wisdom.

Sleep on it

Sometimes our brains require time to rest and then get back to work on the issue. So, if you feel you don’t want to deal in the moment, then it’s best to take some time to sleep on it. Once you are ready to pick up where you left off, the reality is the obstacle, or the problem is not going anywhere. So you might as well be in the right frame of mind when you need to deal with it.

Never give up

Perseverance is what will lead to success. Persist until you find a solution, no matter what the odds are against you. And resiliency is vital in helping you getting up every time and bouncing back.

Starting fresh

When all else fails, start again at the beginning. Re-evaluate everything. Maybe one of the assumptions you’ve had about a specific obstacle is wrong. It is likely that because you are having a hard time, you haven’t identified the root cause yet or have not framed the issue you are having correctly.

Problematic Behavioural Thought Patterns

Barriers commonly take the form of attitudes, behavior patterns, rigid beliefs, fears, and real or imagined deficiencies in your skills that somehow impede your progress. While it’s not possible to eliminate all of these barriers, however, it is possible to manage them or move ahead in spite of them. By admitting the existence of the hampering characteristic or attitude, and observing how and when it shows up as a block, you can begin to modify the effects of any negative trait.

Acknowledging the barriers is step number one. Recognize that everyone has barriers or attitude impediments and that only those who are willing to work can deal with them effectively or eliminate them. Internal walls can be reflective of your individual style characteristics. Therefore, compare your internal barriers with your style and career type. Try to identify whether certain attitudes stem from your work type or can accurately be termed personal deficiencies you want to overcome.

Internal Barriers

You may wonder what some of these internal barriers and personality characteristics that may currently give you difficulty on the job or outside of work. As such, you may say, I tend to “be” or “have.”

• A showoff
• A workaholic
• Absentminded
• Abrupt
• Autocratic
• “Black or White” thinking
• Bossy & dominating
• Bitter
• Burnt-out
• Aloof
• “All or nothing” behavior
• Distrustful of others
• Cynical
• Easily hurt feelings
• Fear of change or fear of making mistakes
• Hard-headed
• Disorganized
• Feelings of inadequacy
• Moody
• Limited attention span
• Self –doubt
• Skeptical

Final thoughts

It’s an endless list, and I believe you know where I am going with this. The idea is that you select a handful of work-related internal barriers that you would most like to reduce or eliminate from your work or life. Choose five essential work-related internal barriers currently in need of reduction or elimination. You will find over time that almost every goal you chase will have its walls in your way. For you to succeed, you need to master the art of problem-solving. Move past the hurdles as quickly as you can to cross the finish line!