HOW TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES
Introduction
Obstacles are meant to challenge you. This makes them
incredibly difficult, nuanced, and overwhelming for most people. Despite that
obstacles come in many shapes and sizes, there are a few things you can do to
overcome them.
Whether the obstacle you face is
large or small, here are seven foolproof ways to overcome obstacles. You might
want to use multiple strategies at once for optimum result. Use these tips next
time you want to transform an obstacle into success. Let's get started.
Correct Your Mindset
The only way that you can
overcome an obstacle is to correct your mindset. When most people think of
obstacles, they immediately think of something that is challenging, tough, and
stacked against them. Even though obstacles are tough, you shouldn't have an
entirely negative view about them.
That's because obstacles are not
all bad. In fact, obstacles are overwhelmingly positive, even on the worst
days. Obstacles help you grow as a person and learn about yourself. Without
them, you could never become the person you are meant to be.
With this in mind, it is important to view obstacles
realistically. That is, view obstacles as challenging in your life, but forces
for improvement and positivity. Viewing obstacles in this way is correct and
helpful.
In addition to correcting your
mindset about obstacles, you also need to correct your mindset about overcoming
them. Many people have what is called a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset gives up
and gets overwhelmed whenever something is difficult.
Instead of having a fixed mindset, correct it to a growth
mindset. A growth mindset looks at challenges and failure as an opportunity to
grow and improve. With this mindset, you will be much better at overcoming any obstacle.
To change from a fixed to a
growth mindset, you'll have to put in a lot of hard work and intentionality.
Reflect on your own thinking and challenge it for the better. During the
process, you will likely find yourself with a mixed mindset before landing on a
growth one. A mixed mindset is simply whenever you are caught thinking in fixed
terms at one moment in growth terms in another. It shows progress.
All around, you need to correct
any mindsets that are hindering you from growing or tackling the obstacle. Two
of the most common unhelpful mindsets include viewing obstacles as all bad and
a fixed mindset. Correct your mindset so that you see both the positives and
the negatives in obstacles, as well as practice a growth mindset.
Stay Optimistic
Obstacles can be a lot of hard
work, sometimes feeling like a force for the worst. Despite this fact, you need
to stay positive whenever you face an obstacle. Positivity and optimism help
you stay motivated and clear minded throughout the process.
In contrast, being negative whenever you face an obstacle
will likely lead to failure. Whenever we feel upset or pessimistic, we are more
likely to give up or think of poor action steps to take. This makes it next to
impossible to overcome the obstacle and view it as a force for good.
If you feel that you are getting upset or overwhelmed by
the obstacle, take a break for a second. No matter what obstacle you face, you
will be able to take a break from it at some point. Focus on something that you
enjoy, such as a hobby, a friend, or a family member instead.
There may be sometimes when you
cannot take a break at that point in time. For example, the obstacle may need
to be resolved immediately. If you find yourself in this situation, consider
challenging your negative thoughts. Negative thoughts are often unrealistic and
irrational. Talk back to your inner voice by questioning your negativity to see
if it is true and helpful.
Consider talking to a therapist
too. A therapist will help you see the positives in any situation. They will
also help you come up with effective and rational action steps to take whenever
you feel overwhelmed or taken away by the situation.
If you find that you are
constantly feeling negative and pessimistic, you may need to go back to our
first piece of advice, which is to correct your mindset. Overwhelming
negativity is often due to a damaging mindset. A therapist may be your best
course of action here.
Even on the worst days, try to
stay optimistic. Staying optimistic is most important on these sorts of days.
Stay optimistic by taking a break, questioning the negativity, or seeing a
therapist. You may also need to work on your mindset if you see that negativity
is something you often fall back on.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
In a world of social media, we
are often forced to compare ourselves to others. This leads to unnecessary
negativity, harmful mindsets, and a number of other side effects that are
damaging to our health and well being.
Comparing yourself to others also hinders your ability to
overcome obstacles. Most people don't think of this side effect, but it is
true. Whenever you compare yourself to others, you are living by their
standards, not your own.
When this happens, you often
create more obstacles than you solve. That's because it is impossible to live
by a standard if it doesn't come from within. You will feel a lot of anxiety,
stress, and other negative feelings whenever you do this.
Instead of comparing yourself to
others, it is more helpful to compare your current self to your past self.
Looking at your past self will show you how far you've come and that there is
no need to feel self-critical. On the flip side, looking at your past self may
motivate you to become better and realign your life with your actual
ideals.
Whenever an obstacle comes your
way, it is important to keep a clear and focused mind. You cannot see the whole
picture of anyone else’s life. Only focus on yourself and your needs when
overcoming an obstacle because that is all you can do.
Look at the Facts
Looking at the facts of your
obstacle is crucial for overcoming it. Many people see an obstacle, but they
refuse to look at its realities or facts. Instead, they only listen to their
emotions. Although emotions are important, as we will talk about later, you
need to look at the facts first.
Unless you look at the facts, you
won't know the truth about your obstacle. You might know about it vaguely, but
you won't know about its realities, requirements, or outcomes. All of these
facts are needed to create effective action steps for you to follow.
To learn about the facts of the
obstacle, look at it from an objective point of view. Reflect on why you must
face the obstacle, what it means to you, what it requires of you, and if it
involves another person. If the obstacle involves someone else, talk to that
person and get their perspective on the matter as well.
After looking at the facts, then
you can move on to setting goals and overcoming obstacles. Until you do this
step, though, it is impossible to know what is required of you to overcome the
obstacle.
Set Goals
We can't talk about overcoming
obstacles without talking about setting goals. Goals help you create and follow
through with action steps that take you from point A to point B. In other
words, goals help you overcome your obstacles by breaking it down into tiny
chunks.
The best way to set goals is to
use the SMART method. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable,
relevant, and time bound.
● Specific: A specific goal is one that
has a single intention or purpose. You can easily describe what you need to do
without getting confused or muddled along the way. “Lose 10 pounds” is a
specific goal, while “lose weight” is not.
● Measurable: A measurable goal is a
little bit more self explanatory. It is one that can be measured as to whether
or not you accomplished it. Once again, “lose 10 pounds” is measurable but
“lose weight” is not.
● Attainable: An attainable goal is
simply one that you can actually accomplish. It is one that is not too lofty or
outside of the realm of possibility. “Lose 10 pounds” is easily attainable, but
“lose 100 pounds” may not be.
● Relevant: The goal must be relevant to
what you want out of life or to overcome the obstacle. Many people set goals
that they think are relevant but are actually not. If the obstacle is losing
weight, “lose 10 pounds” is relevant, but “buy new workout gear” is not.
● Time Bound: Binding your goal to a
specific time keeps you motivated. It prevents you from slacking. “Lose 10
pounds” is not time bound, but “lose 10 pounds in three months” is.
The goals you set should incorporate all five of the
previous characteristics. By setting these SMART goals, you create attainable
action steps that help you breakdown the obstacle so you can overcome it.
Don’t Forget About Your Emotions
As we already mentioned, emotions
are very important to overcoming obstacles. While most people struggle with
getting swept away with their emotions, others have the opposite issue. They
only think in terms of rationality and facts, which neglects an important
aspect of their self and well being.
Whenever facing any obstacle, you
can't discount your emotions. When you do this, you are jeopardizing your own
health and stability. It also prevents you from seeing crucial facts about an
obstacle, such as its meaning to you.
When first faced with an
obstacle, you need to determine if it is worth your time or has any meaning in
your life. If you don't think about your emotions, you won't truly know how you
feel about the obstacle, and you might take on an obstacle that you don't
really care about. This puts unnecessary strain and stress in your life.
While overcoming the obstacle, you have to be in touch with
your emotions too. Being in touch with your emotions throughout the process
will show you whenever you need to take a break or ask for help. If you don't
do these things, you damage your physical and mental health.
As you are overcoming obstacles,
remember to stay in touch with your emotions throughout the entire process.
Though you shouldn't get swept away by them, you shouldn't ignore them either.
It is just as dangerous.
Reflect
One of the best ways for
overcoming obstacles is to learn from your past obstacles. Your past obstacles
give you tips and ideas for how to use your strengths to overcome any challenge
you face. In order to learn from an obstacle, you must reflect on it
first.
Throughout the entire process,
reflect on yourself, your weaknesses, your strengths, and your abilities. This
teaches you more about yourself than you will ever know. Knowing yourself is
what boosts your self-esteem and ability to overcome obstacles.
Even after the obstacle is beat,
still reflect on the situation. Did you learn anything new by the end? What
lessons did you learn from the obstacle? Reflect on these sorts of questions
and take them to heart.
The next time an obstacle comes
your way, you will be able to recall this information and use it to beat this
new obstacle as well. Not to mention, this reflection makes the experience more
meaningful to you, which might make obstacles a more positive experience in
your mind.
Conclusion
Obstacles are very challenging
and require a lot of work. Luckily, there are some foolproof methods you can
try out to overcome any obstacle you may face. Correcting your mindset, staying
optimistic, and focusing on yourself are all imperative steps for overcoming an
obstacle.
Likewise, looking at the facts,
setting goals, and considering your emotions will help you overcome the
obstacle in a way that is efficient and helpful to your well being. During and
after the entire process, reflect on it so you can pull out the information at
a later point.
Incorporate one or many of these tips into your routine
when overcoming obstacles so that you can overcome them efficiently, quickly,
and productively.
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