Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
As a freelance writer, I’ve experienced my fair share of obstacles. For the most part, these were hurdles in life that I had to adapt to. Unfortunately, some of these constructs are difficult to maneuver around. For instance, I am currently taking care of my father while trying to balance my home and a small liquor store. I don’t get to write for myself as much as I’d like, but that’s not entirely the fault of my situation. In essence, I am my own biggest obstacle.
[adrotate banner=”8″]
Obstacles Shouldn’t Stop You
An obstacle is something that you should either avoid or find a way around. They should never stop you from reaching your goals. Currently, it feels like all of my hurdles are three feet apart in a mile-long race. But, I won’t give up the race simply because it’s difficult. It just means I need to hunker down and face each one no matter how frequent they are lined up.
Taking It One Day at a Time
I’m a big fan of the philosophy of taking life one day at a time. While it’s OK to set goals for the future, it’s the actions of today that will dictate whether you’re successful or not. For instance, I want to have my Wattpad novel published by the end of the summer. That means I have to work on it each day. Otherwise, it will never get published. It’s the here-and-now that you need to focus on. By completing your tasks today, the future results can unfold.
Be Determined to Succeed
One of my favorite sayings is, “Your success will be dictated by your effort.” This means that success is possible as long as you put in the effort to do so. This is where determination comes into play. If you’re currently failing at a task, your drive to complete it should be the first thing you look at. For me, it’s wasting too much time watching Netflix. I then will get mad at myself because I could have completed a whole chapter in the same time I watched all those videos. My determination to succeed isn’t as strong as I’d hoped. However, that doesn’t mean I wallow in self-pity and give up. No, this means I need to correct the problem and avoid obstacles like this in the future.
Learn From Mistakes
Nobody is perfect. There will be times when your mistakes seem too large to comprehend. However, these also give you experience and knowledge in order to face similar situations later on. I find it helpful to keep a journal and dictate what I learned each day. Not only does this give me an opportunity to get things out in the open, but writing things down enhances how humans learn the lesson. A true failing is a mistake that you didn’t learn from. Don’t dwell on not succeeding. Look for ways to improve your progress by analyzing the situation.
Never Give Up, Never Surrender
I am the frog that has a choke-hold on the stork as I’m being swallowed. I am the one who will tear out the eyes of a shark as I’m being eaten. I am the one who will make the predator work hard to take out its prey. The point is, I’ll always go down swinging no matter the situation. Obstacles such as these are less than likely to happen, but it’s the act of continuing that makes them ring true.
Continue Your Projects
While some obstacles may take a long time to circumvent, very few are ever truly impossible. You need to keep your eye on the prize, as cliche as that sounds. A setback isn’t a failing; it’s a setback. This means that you are capable of continuing towards success as long as you maintain the effort. You shouldn’t put your projects on the back burner because something slowed you down for a bit.
Confidence Through Completion
With every project you complete, your self-esteem gets a boost. You’ll develop confidence just by merely finishing a project. Many people will relish in the feeling of being accomplished and will work that much harder to experience it again. Be one of those people. Even if no one likes what you’ve created, you can still rest easy knowing that you completed the project when so many others simply gave up. It’s a testament to what you’re capable of regardless of the obstacles. Who knows, you may wind up surprising yourself as well as your target audience. You’ll never know the extent of your success until you actually complete the task.
Although some obstacles can feel more like a brick wall and impassable, you need to give yourself a hammer to go through it. Each time you face a challenge, it makes you that much more mentally powerful. Learn from your mistakes and face your own hurdles with knowledge. Success is only impossible if you stop trying.
- How I Am Balancing College While Maintaining All of My Projects - March 26, 2025
- Why You Should Consider the Weekly Writing Contests at Reedsy - March 24, 2025
- Can You Use vidIQ for Blog Ideas? It’s Not Just for YouTube - March 21, 2025