Sometimes in business you run into a brick wall. This can be as simple as finding yourself out of available cash and as complex as … well it can get really complex.
This same situation is mirrored often in life. I see so many young people and entrepreneurs who have made the decision to fundamentally alter their path. Whether you hit rock bottom and made the hard call to repair the mistakes that brought you there or found motivation in a mentor or a goal, the frustrating truth is that you may not have the immediate opportunity to make those changes, or you simply might not know what to to.
This is not uncommon. Not knowing the next move is not a failure or an indicator that you weren’t meant to be successful or happy. The trick is having a plan in place for when you encounter those roadblocks.
When you run into a problem you can’t solve, or a situation you cannot win, many people default to the binary approach of either giving up or bashing their head agaisnt the problem, relying on sheer force of will reveal the answer.
It is so unfortunate that this is the stage where so many give up or lose hope. I don’t know how many times I have been working on one of my goals and realized it is impossible.
Here is the key moment —>
It took me so long in life to realize that the statement: “it is impossible” can be so much less stressful and daunting as soon as you add the word “now” at the end. Recognizing that while I may not be capable of achieving a specific goal at the moment does not mean I won’t have a better opportunity later. This was one of the key realizations that helped me stabilize my own life.
Now when I hit one of those seemingly impassable barriers, I switch gears. I take my drive and motivation and make the conscious decision to apply it to something else entirely. Whether it is Volunteering or Gardening or heading out to my parents farm to help them, when I keep moving forward (even towards a different goal) I find that the validation of a separate, short term success helps me feel pumped. When other people see you working at a goal or project, there is the chance of gaining a new ally or partner. There is a lot to be said for this approach. Things as small as walking your dog or hammering off some to-do list jobs can keep you moving, keep you motivated and ready so when that door does open, you are ready to walk right through.