Setting goals in life is a wonderful way to get on the track towards the life you want. Unfortunately, all goals will have obstacles that pop up along the way. These obstacles can be addressed and hopefully overcome, but the path may twist and become longer than expected. These obstacles can be divided into three categories: personal, social, and environmental.
Personal – These obstacles are related to your state-of-mind and personal beliefs. We need to do our research to make sure we are making objective decisions. Make sure that you are also steering clear of pessimistic thoughts and free yourself of excuses and complaining. This type of behavior can set you back and cause you to not meet your goals.
Social – Social obstacles can involve people that sabotage or who cannot fulfill the duties assigned. You need to ensure that the people around you will help you achieve your goals. Learn who is there to support you and who seems to hold you back from your best self. Influence people in your life and ensure that you let them know what you need from them as well.
Environmental – These obstacles cannot be planned or avoided and you have the least amount of control of their existence in your life. Anything can go wrong and it can go wrong at the worst time. Learning how to cope with changes and unforeseen circumstances is the best way to deal with these environmental hiccups that will occur from time to time.
Now that you know what types of obstacles can get in your way, it is time to find ways to overcome them.
Check your Emotions – We often let our emotions get the best of us during hard moments. It is always best to take a moment to feel the emotions, but wait to respond. Stay calm and collected and look at the situation from an objective viewpoint.
Accept – When an obstacle gets in your way, make sure you acknowledge it and accept it for what it is in your life. If we dismiss the obstacle, we will never overcome it.
Get Support – When an obstacle gets in your way, find ways to gain support and knowledge so you have the tools necessary to fix the situation. Determine which pieces of the puzzle are missing and look for ways to build them.
Priorities in Order – Become a lifelong learner and acquire all of the skills you need to work through life’s problems one obstacle at a time. Learn from your experiences and always have a course of action ready for whatever comes your way.
Explore Options – When you reach an obstacle, try not to think of the quickest and easiest way to overcome it. Create a list of options and explore different possibilities. More options usually lead to better answers to the questions at hand.
Stay Positive – Don’t dwell on the negative of the situation, but instead look for ways to improve the situation and look for a solution. We will all encounter negative obstacles in life, but how we handle the obstacle is what defines us.
