Sometimes, one obstacle may seem like it’s halting your entire life. It’s taking over your day, affecting your mood, studies, and work. It feels like the most challenging obstacles that life has ever thrown in your way.
There is a way out. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. If you remember these tips, then the next time an obstacle tries to trip you up, you’ll be able to overcome it like a boss.
Today, we’re bringing you nine tips to help you get through the most challenging obstacles in life!
Because you know what? These tough obstacles can make you tougher! No one is born with the natural ability to withstand storms and challenges. Resilience is something that is built through life.
The Obstacle is the Way
by Ryan Holiday
⏱ 12 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Learn From Other People
Take comfort in knowing that you’re not the only one in the world or in history that’s going through this issue. Somewhere out there, someone is going through the same obstacles– or they already have, and they have precious advice to give out.
At least one person has gone through something similar. It can be someone from your family to a celebrity. Find out their experience and use it as a guide, as motivation.
Even if that person doesn’t end up solving your problem, then having someone to share that experience is incredibly comforting.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
We have this powerful method of overcoming obstacles! Sometimes, a little help may change your life. Asking for help is never a weakness. In fact, asking for help is a strength.
Sometimes, asking for help comes from seeking support like counseling or finding comfort in books, mediation, family, friends, and support groups.
And bonus! You’re getting a new perspective on your problems. Maybe your reservoir of energy or strength is running a little low. Asking for help or even for support from a loved one may be the energy boost you need to get over what’s holding you back.
Learn to Compartmentalize
Do you know what’s the worst that can happen when you’re going through a rough time? That obstacle clouding and overshadowing everything else, making a lot of things seem like an unmoving, frustrating challenge.
When one obstacle muddles up everything, then you need to start rethinking your coping strategies. This mindset is harmful to you and those around you. Learning to compartmentalize means that you can separate the good things in your life away from the bad things.
That obstacle is temporary, and your strength is precious. You need to be able to continue living normally, even when a challenge is present. When your mind is more organized like this, you can think more clearly about how to get through anything.
Change Your Perspective
Sometimes, one of the steps to get through any obstacle that life throws your way is to change your perspective.
Whenever something challenging comes along– for example, you’re gearing up to take a vacation, and your boss tells you there’s an emergency you have to work on– or you had plans to meet someone. Something derails these plans. At this point, any average person will feel negativity taking over. Their whole day is ruined.
No, to be stronger and weather obstacles, make it a habit of yours never to let negativity cloud your judgment. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be crazy positive, but find a balance that makes you happy.
Remember, you’re wasting precious energy on these things. And if you find yourself affected by every small inconvenience in your day, you won’t have any energy to deal with the more serious challenges that may arise.
Take a Step Back Emotionally
Here’s a hack to get through a tough obstacle. When something challenging comes up unexpectedly, oftentimes, our first instinct is to react and get lost in an emotional reaction.
Over time, you’ll find that emotional responses aren’t the best thing you need at the time, and they’re not very productive either. In the end, they don’t help the situation at all.
So what can we do? Taking a step and shifting our mindset to think about the problem at hand from an objective mindset will dramatically change how you handle obstacles.
When you train your mind to stay calm, that’s when you can recognize the significance of the events that are happening. Think of it like this: you want to respond, not react.
Now that you can look at a problem in a non-judgmental way and avoid overthinking, you’re able to control your mindset.
Obstacles don’t just put a hamper on your life and plans. They may come with emotional ties like anxiety, fear, and self-sabotaging thoughts. There’s this tempting thought that it’s easier to give up, but that’s not true.
Take Control and Action
Following up on that, sometimes our reaction isn’t very emotional. Occasionally, we standstill in the face of an unexpected obstacle. And we’re so shocked that we have no idea what to do or where to start.
Now, the next time this happens, we want you to take a breath and ask yourself this: Which part of this can I control? Which part can’t I control? And if so, then how can you gain control over your situation? If control is out of the picture, then can you at least influence the situation?
If all of these questions still have you in a slump, then fall back upon gathering more information that will help you gain perspective and see things more clearly.
Start to take action and gain control over your circumstances. Even these questions will help get a grip on the situation.
Focus on the Bigger Picture
Sometimes, you need to step back and look at the bigger picture. If you look online, there’s sure to be an abundance of inspirational quotes that will help you, but this one resounds with someone if they’re facing a challenging obstacle and may feel like there’s no way out. “Obstacles are put in your way to see if what you want is really worth it.”
There is a final goal, and there’s something glorious that you’re reaching for. When you envision the bigger picture, the challenges that have blocked your way, the obstacles that seem too daunting right now, they won’t be as big. When you know that your final goal is worth it, then the rocky path that you’re conquering won’t seem so bad.
Accept what’s Happening
Acceptance is a big step in getting over and conquering challenges.
Acceptance means you’re dealing with the situation. So accept where you are and what you have. This is the time you’re going through in life.
This leads to rational thinking, and it leads to letting go of the stress that may have been intensifying the experience. A lot of experts recommended meditation to practice acceptance.
When you’re going through something, and you have the mindset of “After this issue ends, I’ll be done having problems,” then this is very unrealistic.
Of course, you’re going to have problems, and the perception that they would end after this one obstacle is damaging because you won’t be prepared for when any future hurdle comes your way. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam once said, “When we tackle obstacles, we find hidden reserves of courage and resilience we did not know we had.
And it is only when we are faced with failure do we realize that these resources were always there within us. We only need to find them and move on with our lives.”
So train your mindset to recognize obstacles as they come. And you know what? You can transform what’s blocking your way into building blocks that are helping you achieve your goals.
The further you go, the tougher you get.
Now, we have reached the end of the line. We want to leave you with this: know that the tougher you get, the further you go. Don’t think all those obstacles you have overcome haven’t affected you in some way. They have, and it’s for the best.
The more you conquer your obstacles, the more you experience, the strong you get. Think of it as a muscle almost. The longer you work on it and exercise it, the stronger it is. The same goes for you.
As long as you’re able to persevere and get through all these challenging times, the better the reward is. You’re training yourself to overcome the next obstacle easily.
That perseverance you have built will stay with you in the future and will knock down anything that tries to stand in your way in the future. You’re stronger than ever.
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