Obstacle-  a thing that blocks one’s way or prevents or hinders progress.

Goals and dreams are a part of everyone’s life, which is the human experience. Achieving these things means a varying degree of difficulty. Sometimes it comes easy, but other goals are a much longer journey. No matter how complex or challenging the trip, four main obstacles stop people from experiencing their dream’s completion. Each of these things can derail you and prevent you from achieving what you want, and being conscious of each one in your thoughts, emotions,  words, and actions will help you see the obstacle in your path and stop it from preventing your progress a person.

It’s Impossible Obstacle

From the time we are pretty young, we hear many things are impossible. I believe this is done to temper our expectations or to get us on a “safe” path that will allow us financial security for the rest of our lives. But the fact remains that the message we get regarding our dreams is overwhelming,  “That’s impossible!!”  Often the pursuit of a goal stops right there. If a person hears a message long enough, they will stop dreaming altogether. That is what happens.

Years of discouragement, prejudice,  negativity, guilt, and, most importantly, fear pile on people, and their dreams are buried far beneath the many layers of expectation. Your calling is still there, buried like a treasure underneath all of this, but remember it is still there. We are waiting for you. It is up to you to decide if the layers are too deep or too late to follow them. But only you can make this decision, and a tough choice it is. A dream can come to life at any time, and nothing is impossible unless we think so. Your calling will always be there underneath it all, hopefully waiting for you to look for it.

Letting Others Down Obstacle

As life unfolds, we all have people we love in our lives. Sometimes when you are thinking about pursuing a personal calling, many of the things you will have to do may affect these people. Several factors can get in the way, moving to a new location, financial strain, changes to their lives, or whatever perceived challenges pursuing your personal goals and dreams. The primary thought is that you would be selfish to chase your vision, and others would have to sacrifice.

In reality, the great thing is that love will work to shoot you forward, not hold you back. Those who love you want you to be the happiest, most successful, and most fulfilled person in the world. They would not stand in your way, and they would support your pursuit. Speak about your dream and see what your “team” thinks of you pursuing it. Those who love you will assist you and willingly participate in finding it. Love will make you more reliable if you let it. Please don’t assume your dream pursuit is a burden on others and stop it before it begins. Your dream is counting on you to find it.

Obstacle of Fear

Fear is just a thought, but it is a powerful one and surrounds you all the time. When you set out to pursue a dream, there is no guarantee that the path will be either quick or easy. Setbacks are sure to come. Experiences that you will learn from provide the knowledge needed to find your destination. The path to discovering your calling is no more comfortable than any other. It is just the same. Sometimes things will go your way, sometimes they go another way, but they are still moving you toward your dream.

The fear of failure and difficulty will stop many people from chasing their dream. It may be easier to control, sit on the side of the road, and give up. But inside of you is that dream, still burning, desiring to become real. You are the only one that can do it. Fear is just a thought; you have to protect yourself from this. But these setbacks on your way provide the real value to the experience. No matter what you faced, you kept going and didn’t falter. That is a beautiful thing and rare. Be that unique soul that ignores the obstacle of fear and keeps moving forward. Fall seven times and get up eight.

The obstacle of Realizing Your Dream

So you have identified your calling. You have taken steps, been diligent, and moved forward. Now there it is, right in front of you. Your dream is ready to be realized. The only thing that can stop you now is you. Many people get to this point and feel deep down that they are not worthy of realizing their dream. Others have worked for things and not brought them. You know all your flaws and think that you lack quality. It is at these moments when self-sabotage occurs. We quit because we are afraid. The finish line is in sight. All because we don’t think we deserve it.

You do deserve it. You are as worthy a human being as ever drew a breath. Nobody is perfect in life, but those imperfections are just a part of things. They are not things. Your dreams are things. Life is a journey from birth to death, and along the way, we provide value. Pursuing your calling or not is going to give meaning to your life. Did you do it? Did you not? Those are the real questions.

To make sure you see the obstacle in front of you, first, you have to look for your calling. Remember what it was from back when you were young. What things capture your imagination and make you feel happy inside? These are the things that will lead you toward your calling. It all starts with a more conscious awareness of your thoughts about your goals, emotions that come from them, words we speak and hear about it, and the actions taken to reach your dream. What makes you happy? What makes you feel fulfilled? Look at the reason for stopping you from achieving your goals.

“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. Don’t turn around and give up if you run into a wall. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” -Michael Jordan

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure despite overwhelming obstacles.”- Christopher Reeve

“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”- Walt Disney

I’m Back……………  James Brown