22
Overcome the Obstacles

LIFE IS A bit like an obstacle course. As we try to move forward along the path to our goals, invariably something stands in our way. Sometimes it’s a wall that seems insurmountable; other times it’s a speed bump that slows us down or a detour that takes us in a new direction. Each time we encounter an obstacle, we must determine the smartest approach to overcome it without losing sight of our goals. Should we fail to get past the obstacle—especially when the stakes are high—we will surely experience regret.

I know that’s how I felt when I was trying to complete the final hurdle in my formal education: a one-hundred-plus-page research project with a live presentation to a panel of professors at the end. The project was designed to take at least a full year to finish, but I needed to get it done in three months if I wanted to make the approaching graduation deadline. If I didn’t finish, I’d have to wait one full additional year to graduate and have to pay another year’s worth of tuition. To make matters worse, I had a new job lined up that was contingent upon my graduating. If I didn’t complete the project in three months, there would be no graduation, no job, and a lot of regret.

My biggest obstacle in this case was fundamentally time—or so I thought. When I shared my three-month completion plan with my project advisor, however, his immediate response was “It would be a herculean task to get your project done by graduation. There’s no way this will happen.” It was apparent that my advisor, who was supposed to be my advocate, had now become an obstacle too. To overcome these obstacles, I spent the next three months working feverishly to complete my project while reassuring my advisor on a weekly basis that things were running on schedule despite his reluctance to support me in the process. On literally the last day possible to be eligible for graduation, I finished the written portion of the project and was ready to give my presentation to the faculty panel.

Gathered at the presentation were my classmates and some close friends, as well as my parents, who had traveled three thousand miles to be there for moral support. Moments before the proceedings started, the professor who was leading the panel pulled me aside and informed me that my parents would not be permitted in the room during the session. When I inquired why, the response I got was that it was not “customary” to have relatives attend, though there was no formal policy to that effect. Just when I thought the only obstacle left was my actual presentation, I now had another. While I wanted to protest, I knew I’d regret it if somehow this negatively influenced the panel’s evaluation of my presentation. Thus, I chose to overcome the obstacle by saying nothing and putting 100 percent of my focus back on the task in front of me. I will say, though, that having my parents barred from the room—and made to sit outside with ears against the door like eavesdropping children—definitely inspired me that much more to prevail.

For the next two hours I presented my project and fielded endless questions from the panel members. Then, after they deliberated for what seemed like forever, the head of the panel informed me that I had passed. It was an unforgettable feeling—finally I had overcome all of the obstacles that had been in the way of achieving my goal and this milestone in my education. I still have the photograph of the huge smile on my face at that particular moment.

The obstacles we face in life aren’t always easy to overcome. They are a test of our determination, endurance, perseverance, and will. Refuse to let anything get in the way of completing the objectives you set for yourself, both at work or school and in your personal life. Say no to naysayers and keep your focus on the endgame. Be strategic, tenacious, and resilient. Overcome the obstacles and make it your mission to achieve your goals.

Overcome the obstacles
and make it your
mission to achieve
your goals.

∼ What is a major goal that you are currently working on, and what are the obstacles in the way?

∼ How will you overcome them?