Four Steps to Overcome Any Obstacle

Last week, I posed a question: “Are You Living Legendary or Managing Your Circumstances?” I did this because I had just experienced a significant personal obstacle that could have easily knocked me down and kept me there. I recognize that this is not unique. And, in fact, all of us face huge obstacles in our lives. When this happens you are given an incredible gift (even if it doesn’t feel like one at the time you’re going through it).

I have the utmost respect and admiration for two-time World Champion Triathlete Siri Lindley. I first heard her full story on the Tony Robbins podcast, “How to make the decision to do the impossible” and last week I had the distinct pleasure to interview her on the topic of overcoming any obstacle. In this article, Siri Lindley shares her recipe and identifies the four steps we all need to take.

“You’re going to be faced with things that knock you down,” says Siri Lindley. “I’ve been faced with so many things that have knocked me down, but every time that I have been knocked down (and most would consider those times “failures”), I look upon them more as learning. You’re either winning or you’re learning.”

Embrace ALL of You. Start by being your true, authentic self. You can’t fake your way to success. In our interview, Siri shares her personal story of having to “look the part” of champion in order to pick up her first major sponsor. This meant that she was supposed to grow her hair out and get a boyfriend even though she knew she was gay. Right at the time she was getting comfortable stepping out of the closet, she felt the pressure hide her true identity and become something she was not. Today, she recognizes that to overcome any obstacle, you need to start here. How can you overcome your greatest obstacles if you’re trying to be something that you’re not? You can’t be your absolute best if you don’t first accept yourself – every part of yourself. Recognize That Obstacles Are Here to Help You Learn and Grow. Rather than be knocked down and put off by your obstacles, shift your perspective. Recognize, as Tony Robbins likes to say, “Life happens FOR you, not TO you.” According to Siri Lindley, “When things go bad (and they inevitably do in all of our lives), do not let it destroy you. It’s not the end. And instead look upon it and say, “Okay, I’m being given an opportunity to really learn and learning can be hard.” What Siri Lindley recognizes is that obstacles help stretch and grow us into something greater than before the obstacle. Think about it. How do you grow your business and yourself? It’s NOT doing the same thing over and over, but instead it’s when you push yourself to the absolute limit that you discover what you’re truly capable of and experience the growth you desire. Embrace those obstacles in your life as growth opportunities. Rather than become discouraged by them, be encouraged and rise to the challenge! Give Yourself Credit For Where You Are Now. Take a minute and think about all that you’ve already accomplished. As entrepreneurs, we rarely take the time to celebrate our wins (see related article, “3 Reasons Celebrating Your Many Accomplishments Is Critical To Your Success”). We’re moving so fast that we simply move onto the next task rather than acknowledging what we’ve already achieved. “Even if it’s not where you want to be right at this moment,” says Siri Lindley, “give yourself honest credit for where you are. When I started triathlons I was so bad. But I could literally feel what it would feel like to win a world championship. I could see it, I could feel it, I could taste it. And nothing will stop you when you want it that bad and you know the reason why you want it.” It’s in the moments when we face our greatest obstacles that we learn who we truly are. “It’s in those tough moments when you think “Yeah, this is going to be really heard, but it’s going to be so worth it when I get there.”

Know Your Outcome and WHY You Want It. When faced with a difficult obstacle in your path, you can either allow it to stop you or use it as an opportunity to become better. This can only happen if you have clarity on your desired outcome and, more importantly, why you want it. Having a clear sense of purpose – a reason for putting everything you’ve got into what you’re doing – will pull you through the most difficult times in your life. “It is in those moments where we feel the most raw, the most afraid, that we are given an opportunity to truly shape our futures,” says Siri Lindley. “You can choose to step away from the challenge, or you can choose to face it head on. It is when we make the choice to break free from our limiting beliefs, to strip away the cloaks of fear that weigh us down, and forge forward relentlessly, that we create the greatest breakthroughs in our lives. Where magic is created and where all our dreams become true possibilities.”

It’s your sense of purpose that will pull you through. The best time to know your why is before you come face to face with your biggest obstacles. That way, your mission and purpose will help keep you determined to overcome anything that stands in your way.

I encourage you to watch the full interview with Siri Lindley. As a two-time World Champion, Siri Lindely knows what it takes to overcome any obstacle. In my interview with her, she goes deep on each of these four steps and uses personal stories from her life to illustrate how they have helped her stretch and grow into the incredible person and coach she has become. For even more depth, read her book, Surfacing: from the depths of Self-doubt to Winning Big and Living Fearlessly. You will be inspired and fired up to overcome any obstacle that gets in your way.