Many people become discouraged when they hit obstacles. But they would be much better off if they could learn to savor and celebrate those obstacles in their lives. Appreciate them for what they are – chances to build internal strength.
Those who learn to savor and celebrate obstacles are better equipped to achieve lasting success. They do not shy away from difficulties but confront them head-on with aggression, knowing that each obstacle conquered is a testament to their power.
Everyone knows how to think lofty thoughts and make big goals. But so often we hit one or two delays in our course of action then give up and quit. Instead, we should see these obstacles as gifts, celebrate, and push through them just slightly.
We celebrate because we know that when others hit these same obstacles, they quit. But when we hit those same obstacles, we press just a few steps farther.
In the relentless pursuit of our goals and dreams, obstacles often stand as formidable barriers along our path. It’s a shared human experience to encounter discomfort and adversity during this journey, and too often, people let these challenges deter them from continuing their pursuit. However, a better perspective is one that suggests using these obstacles as metrics of progress and strength.
When we encounter discomfort or adversity in any endeavor, it is a pivotal moment to get excited. Why? Because this is precisely the point where most individuals decide to quit.
They see the discomfort as a sign to turn back, abandon their goals, and settle for mediocrity. However, this is where the true opportunity lies. By shifting our mindset and viewing discomfort as an indicator of our progress, we can harness its power to propel us forward.
Every obstacle, and every moment of discomfort, is a milestone in our process of personal development. It’s a marker that signifies our growth and resilience. When we feel that resistance, it’s a signal that we are on the verge of breaking through to a higher level of achievement. By pushing ourselves just one percent beyond this point, we not only demonstrate our strength but also position ourselves significantly farther ahead than the majority of people who choose to quit.
With this perspective, obstacles cease to be hindrances; they become our allies and guides. They are the markers of our commitment, determination, and fortitude. They serve as proof that we are on the right path and that we are advancing toward our goals while most others falter. Instead of fearing discomfort, we should embrace it as a sign that we are on the cusp of something extraordinary.
By definition, you only have to be better than 50% of people in order to be better than most people in any given pursuit.
If 50% is the point of “being average” anything beyond that point is “above average”, just as anything below it is “below average”.
Now do not allow this to go to your head. You are not more valuable than others, you are simply farther ahead. And you have gotten farther than others have simply by not quitting as early as they do.
All the rewards and accomplishments that men receive lay beyond the point where the majority of the population gives up.
You need to fix in your mind a higher goal, however. You likely need to be farther than 75% of people in order to begin to reap the highly valuable rewards in life.
What are things that 75% of people are not willing to do?
What is the point where 75% of people have given up?
You may not be able to identify this point, but just try to assess it and get in the ballpark. If you can be one of the best 25 men in a group of 100, you are a man of value.
Use any obstacles you encounter as valuable resistance for growth – it is the mental exercise that will allow you to conquer future difficulties with ease, paradoxically.
Each obstacle you encounter is a chance to grow strong. It is a “life set”. You have sets of exercises that you complete in the gym against resistance to grow physically stronger. What you are facing during difficulty is a “life set”, during which you struggle against resistance in order to grow stronger. Greater power can be found in viewing these obstacles simply as resistance to overcome with the appropriate amount of effort.
And remember that you only need to give slightly more resistance to the obstacle than it gives you. Just like in the gym: in order to lift 100 pounds, you need to generate 101 pounds of force. If 100 pounds is pressing against you, you need to press up with 101 pounds in order to move the resistance in the opposite direction. While you are generating more force, there is no movement of the weight from 0-100 pounds of force. It is only once you exceed the force of the weight pressing down on you that it starts to move.
If you can change your life perspective and view obstacles the same way you view lifting weights, you will be infinitely more powerful. Because we look at resistance in the gym as the pathway to growth. Why not do the same with each and every obstacle we face? That is the method by which you make every obstacle a celebration.
