“Life is nothing but an obstacle course.” When I first heard Bethenny Frankel say that, I thought, “What the…? An obstacle course, really!?! Are you really telling me that as soon as I overcome one, there’s another one lined up?
The word obstacle means problem, difficulty, hindrance, or impediment to achieving your goal. So maybe you can say I’m a Pollyanna thinker. However, I believe there is a clear explanation for why some people view life as an obstacle course and others view life as a joyful adventure.
In my book, I have a quote, “if you can’t see a way, what you see is what’s in the way.” So to me, you’re either focused on the results you want or the challenges presented. I’ve found your focus should be on what you want – the result – and practicing 5 things. As a result, you’ll find life isn’t an obstacle course but a joyous adventure.
So, with that said, here are some helpful, tested pointers that will keep your attention focused on achieving any goal that you put your mind to.
1. Keep a clear, open, and tense-free mind.
Always be ready to receive new ideas. Focus and concentrate on what it is you desire. Think in a wide-scale manner and always be open to new options to eliminate the particular obstacle you are currently dealing with.
2. Persist and Ask for Help
This is the time to ask for help from trusted advisors. More often than not, what’s in the way is knowing whether you need to upgrade your skills or change/broaden your perspective. That’s the value of having a trusted board of advisors. They can help you find your path…your next step.
3. Persevere
When accomplishing any worthy goal, you’ll encounter the messy, muddy middle. It’s a time when clear answers or good options aren’t apparent. For example, did you know that 68% of people will give up on their goals within 30 days of setting them? The main reason is writing poor goals. Next month, I’ll talk about how to write a goal that makes achieving it more effortless.
4. Stimulate new thinking
Sometimes what you need is to expand your thinking. In my book, Remarkable Leadership Lessons: Change Results One Conversation at a Time, there’s a story about James Cameron, director of the movies The Abyss and Titanic. One of his tactics is bringing different experts together to look at a problem from different angles. Your network of friends, mentors, and advisors should be diverse, so you can access many answers.