Sunday, May 26, 2013

Conquer Life's Challenges!

 

The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.

Moliere





 

Challenges in life...we all have them, and yet we deal with them in different ways..... some of us get wrapped around the axle, stressed out and not sure how to proceed with the obstacle or issue at hand,  while others seems to tackle obstacles and issues head on with focus and what seems to be an ease of effort.

 

Just what are those individuals doing when faced with challenges in their life that allow them to readily acknowledge, address and conquer obstacles when they arise? 


The answer is they act upon whatever obstacles arise with thoughtful review, planning and execution.  They make a conscious decision to proceed with their plan based upon their understanding of the issue and then...... they do it.

 

Regardless of age, experience or knowledge, there are things we can all do when faced with a challenge or obstacle that will allow us to gather resources, create a plan of attack and resolve it with more focus and ease.

 

1.  Acknowledge its Existence:  Write the issue or obstacle down, and acknowledge its existence. 

 

2.  Worst Case Scenario:  Write down what you believe will happen if you do not address the issue.  Will there be a loss to you that really matters in your life, such as loss of a job or promotion, loss of  integrity or respect, loss of a relationship, financial loss or loss of something physical, like a house or a car?  Or after reviewing the worst case, is it not a serious issue...a loss you either do not care about or you consider it minor enough not to respond == Remember the book series  "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff"?

 

3.  Create a Response Plan:  Write down what you think it will take to resolve the issue, and if there is more than one way, list all possible alternatives that you can think of (including doing nothing).

 

4.  Rely on Good Resources: Tap into resources you will need to address the issue (i.e. money, research,  people with knowledge).

 

5. Choose a Response and ACT:  Select the alternative that makes the most sense to you, aligns with your values and that you can execute given your particular set of circumstances.

 

6. Maintain Control of your Response Plan:  Review throughout the process to see whether your chosen response is working and adjust if needed.  Did the plan work?  Trust me -- not all will, but the failures will teach us and make us better --that's called experience.

  

“Challenges in life can either enrich you or poison you.

  You are the one who decides.”  

  Steve Maraboli

 

Simply put, it's all about us controlling the issue/obstacle versus allowing it to control us. 

 

Action is the key.... your ability in dealing with life's obstacles will improve and your reactions will be calmer if you tackle the challenges with understanding and a well devised response plan.

 

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