obstacles

photo courtesy of Ian Kim

Common obstacles to happiness and success are fear of failure and self-doubt. We don’t want to fail, but failure can lead to success. Learning from our failures and persevering will lead us either to the path we originally had in mind, or to change the course if we determine that path was not what we thought it would be. 

What would happen if a baby taking his/her first steps and fell decided that was it. No need to get up and try again because falling was a failure. Obviously, the baby gets up again and again until he/she succeeds in walking. This is a process which takes repeated attempts and practice. Why wouldn’t we approach our steps as a youngster, adolescent, and an adult in a similar manner? 

A common prompt for essays on college applications is for the applicant to describe how they overcame an adverse event in life, and what they learned. Schools see a relationship between students who overcome obstacles and their later success in life. 

I enjoy watching singing shows, such as American Idol and The Voice, and dance shows, such as World of Dance and So You Think You Can Dance. I appreciate storytelling through different art forms. I appreciate the beauty of each art form. I appreciate the immense talent. I appreciate the inordinate time and painstaking effort these artists devote to their craft. I am touched by the circumstances some of these artists have endured and overcome. They have refused to let poverty, illness, injury, accident, family loss, bullying, and addiction stop them from pursuing their dream. They have turned to their singing, dancing, and music as an escape, as a healing agent, as a trusted friend who is at their fingertips. It is incredibly inspiring.

We all get knocked down in life. Some of us succumb to the emotional blow, while others rise up and fight against the sometimes unlikely odds of success, and continue the pursuit of their dreams and goals. Find what resonates with you and gives you purpose. Find your passion.  

Regardless of who we are or what we have endured in life, people can be reluctant to persevere when doors seem to have closed. Often, there is a sliver of light that can be seen through the “closed” door because it isn’t completely shut and locked. With persistence and strength the door can be forced open and the prize can be reached. 

Look for the lessons in your perceived failures, and push the door open again, unless one of the lessons is to leave that door closed and find another door to go through. We need to shed the self-doubt that so many of us experience by changing our faulty beliefs (e.g., I can’t do it, I’m not good enough, others are better than I am, nobody wants me, I don’t want to fail and look stupid or like a loser). Only then can we wrap ourselves with confidence to keep moving forward and potentially realize our dreams and goals.