Dr. David Rafeedie

What are obstacles? The dictionary defines obstacle as “a thing that blocks one’s way or prevents or hinders progress.”

Facing obstacles is a part of life. It occurs at the youngest of ages. Young Billy wants to get into the pantry to get to the candy. But he finds a formidable external obstacle called mom preventing him from achieving his goal.

Mary is a salesperson who is struggling because she has a powerful internal obstacle to her success. For a variety of reasons, she has a fear of picking up the phone and calling people. She will do almost anything else before picking up the phone. Even administration!

In life, as well as career and business, everyone experiences obstacles. They may be internal or external, and sometimes both, but whatever the origin obstacles are formidable barriers to success. How you view obstacles is critical to your success in overcoming them.

You can shy away from the obstacles and view them as impossible, or you can see them as challenges to be overcome. You will not defeat them if you do not think they can be overcome. Indeed, most obstacles in life can be overcome. Of course, some are beyond your power to control, such as some physical diseases, other physical issues, and pandemics. But most of the obstacles you face in life or business are challenges that can be overcome.

Obstacles remind me of the track and field sport of Hurdling. Hurdling is a specialized form of obstacle racing that requires men and women to run fast and jump over obstacles placed on the track. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurdling.

Imagine a runner racing down the track to the first hurdle and then stopping in his tracks and not jumping because he became fearful and saw the obstacle as insurmountable. That picture would make a great highlight reel, but it is also implausible to occur.

That is a picture of what happens when people face obstacles and allow the obstacle to become an insurmountable hurdle, when, in fact, it is a challenge to be overcome. Hurdlers do not see the obstacles as impossible; they see them as challenges to conquer. That is the best view of obstacles for everyone, whether the obstacles are external like little Billy’s above, or internal like Mary’s. Those are the only two kinds of obstacles people face. Internal and external.

Internal Obstacles

You overcome the internal by changing the way you think about obstacles. That is how you change your behavior. Instead of stopping at the obstacle, you will overcome it. You don’t do anything before you think it, and the way you view something will determine what you do. If you see the obstacle as impossible, then you will not overcome it. If you view it as a challenge to be overcome, then you will conquer it by doing what it takes to get through the obstacle successfully.

In business, in your professional life, and personally, internal barriers will keep you from achieving what you want to accomplish. It has happened ever since you were a child. Let’s take a look at an example of an internal barrier. Here is a big one, fear. Fear is a powerful internal barrier because it will freeze you in your tracks or cause you to flee what you must face. There is a legitimate fear, of course. For example, if I invite you over for dinner telling you I will be doing the cooking rather than my wife, you have every reason to flee in fear.

Here is a universal fear right now, fear of COVID-19. It is essential to follow proper guidelines and stay safe. But don’t let the fear of COVID-19 freeze you in your tracks. You don’t have to let the fear of COVID-19 stop you from thinking outside your usual box to do some meaningful things for your business or you personally. Here is an article with some constructive ideas, https://davidthecoach.com/blog/2020/3/20/how-do-you-handle-covid-19-two-important-principles

What are the internal barriers that keep you from reaching your goals, achieving your vision, and stop you from going to the next level? Regardless of your position in an organization, or where you find yourself in the pecking order of your relationships, you can discover and eliminate your internal barriers that are hindering your success. With the right help, you have control.

External Obstacles

External obstacles are usually obstacles that we have no control over. Yet, we must still overcome them if we are to make progress and succeed in our endeavors. Here is a big one today everyone faces, COVID-19.

Maybe you have had to shut down your business, or you have lost your job. Now you are stuck staying at home, and your life might seem upside down right now. This obstacle is unique to be sure. But you have overcome obstacles before! And you will get “over” this one, just like Hurdlers get “over” their obstacles.

Here are four ingredients to help you overcome the external barrier of COVID-19 and experience achievement and progress in our COVID-19 world when you are in a stay at home mode.

Ingredient 1: Be a change agent and change the way you think about obstacles. When you can change how you think and feel, you change your behavior. When you change your behavior, you will overcome internal and external obstacles to success.

Ingredient 2: Be persistent in having the right attitude and in doing things that bring value now and later to your business and personal life. Let’s face it; sometimes, we can get down or stressed being at home all the time. Today is the time for persistence!

Ingredient 3: Be creative. If this isn’t a time to think outside the box, there will never be.  Sometimes we need outside voices to help us think outside the box, and that is where ingredient four becomes essential.

Ingredient 4: Stay connected to family, friends, colleagues, and your coach. All these voices can bring peace, joy, and fresh thinking.

Today is a great time to work on you! Most people know how they behave, but most don’t understand how to discover the why behind their behavioral patterns and tendencies that keep them from achieving what they set out to do. As a Harrison’s Solution Consultant and an ICF credentialed coach, I can help you discover your behavioral traits and tendencies and design a strategy to change those internal obstacles to success. Email me at info@davidthecoach.com, text, or call 520-709-1860.

If you are reading this on social media, check out my website at www.davidthecoach.com.  You will also find more blogs on fear, leadership, transitions, and other subjects dealing with success factors.