How To Turn Obstacles Into Steppingstones to Reach Your Goals

Obstacles are inevitable in life., You, I, we all encounter them on different levels. Every day we are faced with some kind of challenge. It is part of life. Though we can turn our obstacles into stepping stones so that we can reach our goals.

Today one of my challenges relates to my blogging goals. The challenge is getting the image placements and settings right so that it provides a good reader experience. There is a lot of trial and error as I implement what I am learning. A further challenge today has been balancing work duties with my personal habit of journaling. I like to journal in the morning but as I am monitoring an out-of-office phone this weekend, I was unable to start the day the way I like, journaling. Frustrating as not journaling first thing in the morning is for me, the bigger challenge is work-life balance. The obstacle to work-life balance is accepting the extra work duty. The stepping stone is personal growth as I learn how other areas within my place of employment work.

Some people believe obstacles are there to make their life more difficult by blocking their way. Others believe that obstacles are there to teach them, and help them step to the next level. Stumbling blocks or stepping stones!
Life is full of challenges but rather than letting them block your progress, why not use them as opportunities for growth? That is the difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones. By learning how to turn obstacles into stepping stones, you can increase your chances of success and lead a more fulfilling life.

How to turn obstacles into stepping stones.

First of all, what is a stepping stone? According to the Cambridge dictionary, a stepping stone is an event or an experience that helps you achieve things. I would like to add ‘greater things’ as stepping stones are learning experiences in which you grow. The way forward is via personal development, therefore many challenges will be faced.

A list of some life problems that effects achieving goals

It is human to experience ups and downs, and problems in life. We all experience setbacks, hurdles and challenges as we work towards achieving our life goals. We also all overcome the challenges we face differently according to the life skills we have and the way we process the challenge we are facing.

Understanding the learning process to learn and achieve something you haven’t achieved before takes time, there is a learning curve. Write down your goals and remember, just like it took time as a child to learn to ride a bike, it will take time to reach the life goals you have set for yourself.

Change your perspective.

Did you know that you can change your life by embracing the power of perspective?  What you feed into your mind matters a lot. Especially for overcoming obstacles and creating successful habits. If you think negatively all you see is the negative. When you think positively, you see the positive.

Consider adjusting your perspective on the challenges you encounter in your life if you want to make a difference.  See things from a grateful perspective. There are so many things in life to be grateful for. Here’s a list of 21 things we take for granted that we shouldn’t.

Try not to despair, get frustrated or even get stressed, instead be optimistic that everything happens for a good reason.  As focusing on negativity can leave you feeling miserable and defeated. A good way to work through your frustrations is to write in your journal. Journaling helps you work out different ways to see a setback or challenge and helps you identify resources to help you step through the challenge.

One way to do this is to start looking at your obstacles from a different angle and use them as stepping stones to a better lifestyle. Reframe your perspective and see the challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. Taking this more positive viewpoint can help you build resilience and find successful solutions to your problem.

Identify the resources you need in order to achieve your goal.

No one is an island. It is impossible to survive without the help of others. We all need help. Confide in that trustworthy friend, colleague, support group, mentor, family or therapist.
Ask your role models what they would do if they were in your situation and insist on honesty.  You would be surprised to find that your purported obstacles are indeed stepping stones to greater things.  It is not always easy to ask for help, but if you don’t ask you will not receive it.

Don’t let obstacles cloud your judgment or perspective on things and decisions. The great news is, that you can move from obstacles to opportunities within a matter of minutes.

In our family, we all have mentors in our lives, people we confide in at different times for different reasons. My husband refers to mentors to improve his golfing game and I refer to study and business mentors to guide me in life and skill development.  My adult children have mentors which include Carsten and me, teachers, friends, aunts, uncles, authors and entrepreneurs.
Our mentors have changed as we have progressed. We are grateful for all the mentors we have, will have and have had.

1. Ask yourself what resources or people you might need in order to reach your goal.
2. Identify the gaps between where you are now and where you want to be, and then figure out a way to fill those gaps. This may include asking for help from friends or family, getting a mentor, taking classes, or reading books.
3. Remember, knowing what type of support you need along the way can help make your journey smoother. Use the power of resourcefulness to overcome your setbacks and challenges.

Never ever give up.

Believe in yourself by resolving to never give up no matter what life throws at you. Great opportunities come to those who don’t give up easily. Never entertain the thought of quitting.
To be successful you have to keep going forward regardless of the obstacles you encounter along the way.  Embrace the power of visualisation. Visualizing your ideal day helps you stay focused on your life goals.

Had Abraham Lincoln given up after losing eight elections, suffering a nervous breakdown and failing in business twice, he would never have become the 16th president of the United States.  

You have the option of blaming your obstacles for your failure or alternatively using them as stepping stones to greater things. The main thing is to stay focused and make the best choice for that time.

Take action and be consistent with those actions.

After you’ve identified the resources and people that can help you reach your goal, it’s time to take action. It’s important to break down your ultimate goal into smaller, achievable steps. Taking consistent action is key, so don’t get discouraged if not every step produces results right away. The most successful people are persistent and persevere even in tough situations – they just keep going no matter what. With consistent action, you can turn obstacles into stepping stones and feel empowered to take big leaps towards your goal!

Embrace life’s challenges – Have fun and enjoy life.

Life is a precious gift. Resolve to enjoy every single second of it to the fullest.  No matter how many stressful or frustrating challenges you encounter on your life journey, make every second count.  
As much as it is easy to blame others, you have in fact, only yourself to blame if you let obstacles stop you from achieving your goals. It is worth remembering most often, someone has already succeeded; maybe that person is one of your mentors. Remember those friends, colleagues, and mentors to confide in. Keep your options open, and ask for help. It gets easier, and one day you will see the gift the obstacle gave.

I’ve had many challenges while learning to blog, as a business owner, as an employee and in my personal life. Some of the challenges I have are;

• insufficient work hours or feeling too tired to work on my blog after working in a job all day.
• not having the finances to pay for help
• not progressing as fast as I’d like with blogging
• self-belief.
• insufficient time to complete all I want to do.
• comparing myself to other bloggers
• being conflicted between multiple life goals, study goals, weight loss, blogging

The above is just part of a long list. Despite the challenges, I believe in positivity and embracing life. I work through the challenges with the help of friends, mentors and support groups. I also stack habits to help me change and reach my goals.
In fact, I often set myself mini-challenges to help me challenge myself to become better in different areas of my life. I track these challenges with a habit tracker.

The 4 steps to turn obstacles into stepping stones are;

1. Perspective – Look at things from a different viewpoint.
2. Resourcefulness – Seek help from others.
3. Consistent action – Never give up on your dreams.
4. Embrace life challenges and enjoy the journey

I’ve found the easiest way of bouncing from obstacles to opportunities is to journal and be grateful, showing gratitude daily.  And always return to your why. Why is achieving that life goal so important to you? Does your goal align with your core values?