Overcoming Personal Obstacles

Everyone faces obstacles. It's how you deal with them that determines if you succeed in your career, personal relationships, and life in general.

It is purely a matter of mental attitude and determination. You have to decide to work around, through, over or under your obstacles, instead of treating them as a brick wall that can't be passed.

If you face a problem, you have to look at it in terms of what you can do, not what you can't. I'm not saying that you should ignore limitations and weaknesses.

There are obvious bars to certain occupations if you have certain conditions. You can't be a surgeon or an air traffic controller or drive a car if you're blind.

There's a difference from being aware of your limitations, and accepting them, and giving up on a quality life because you won't look on the positive side of what you are capable of.

Humans are amazing. Think of the amazing stories of human achievement under huge obstacles, such as blind people learning to paint realistic portraits, or Olympic runners who have no legs. Or those who have lifted themselves out of poverty to enormous wealth despite all odds being stacked against them.

These are the people who understand that it is all in how you look at life, and a refusal to give up their dreams.

The idea is to ask "How can I do it?" And research, think and plan your way to where you want to be. If you run into a problem, you try to figure out a way to get around it.

There was a point in my life when I really thought that my life was dictated by circumstances, and that I really had no control over what happened to me. I actually believed that I just had bad luck in life.

Fortunately for me(pun intended) I came to the realization that I did indeed have control over my thoughts, emotions, and ultimately the decisions I make that determine the outcomes of my life.

Yes, I had circumstances that I had no control over, but I DO have control over how I react to situations, and even how I feel about them.

I realized I can either feel like a victim, or stay positive, work to have a better life, and feel good about the awesome things I DO have in my life.