OBSTACLES

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An obstacles on its own, generally exists to impede the progress of something or someone which means, it doesn't necessarily have to be something tangible or visible. Simply put, anything that conforms to that definition of hindering a certain level of progress, is considered an obstacle. An example of a tangible or physical obstacle can be the case of a track runner who come across a ditch or a stone barrier on the track as he races towards the finish line. That ditch or barrier becomes an obstacle which forces him to change approach or apply extra effort in order to continue his race and reach his desired outcome. He could either jump across, or run in a different direction or stop the race.

An intangible obstacle on the flip side, could be a health issue, an emotional problem or a thought pattern among several others. Yes, your thought pattern could be an obstacle to your progress. An optimist is more likely to succeed or achieve desired results than a pessimist. A pessimist sees the cup as half empty instead of half full and would often give up on his dreams and visions because of imagined pitfalls. In my country, many people want the political climate to change but are too pessimistic to contribute to making that dream a reality. Such people would not even bother to vote because they believe their votes wouldn't count anyway. An optimist in the same situation would not only desire and hope for change but would also cast his vote and hope that with time and consistency, things would begin to change for the better.

Obstacles are less about themselves and more about than the target to be achieved. In tackling obstacles, we then need to be versatile, open minded and flexible in our approach. Sometimes one must deal with the obstacle directly but at other times one may need to ignore or avoid it. They are not necessarily enemies of progress and their presence does not necessarily mean that you're going the wrong way. They often serve to help us develop our grit, resilience and capacity to handle unexpected things or events. They encourage us to be creative and to think outside the box in search of resolution. A lot of "eureka" moments and outstanding ideas have come out of the process of tackling obstacles.