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 some 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.
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.
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.
Journaling
Writing down your emotions and daily obstacles or challenges is a great way to keep yourself accountable to your goals. It helps you stay honest with yourself about whether you’re sticking to a goal or plan, and allows you to keep track of what works for you and what doesn’t.
To get the most out of your journaling, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Try to record every day. Even if that means you journal about why you didn’t work out, stick to it!
Set a reminder to record for 5-10 minutes- before bed is a great time to do it!
Be honest!
Start your journaling off on the right foot, keep track of your progress with a journal! CHECK OUT THE JOURNALS BELOW
Obstacles and Challenges: Motivational & Inspirational Notebook/Journal
Self-Validation~ Motivational & Inspirational Notebook/Journal