When we set goals and make plans for our lives, we envision the successful execution of the plans. We see ourselves overcoming any obstacle we may encounter. We see ourselves conquering adversity.
Visualisation is a skill we practice to connect to our dreams and goals. When our goals unfold as we have envisioned them, we celebrate the milestones with joy.
What happens when our plans are thrown off track?
One thing you can be sure of is that life will throw you some curveballs.
At times, things take a bit of a detour from the original plan before you get to the final destination. Sometimes things just stall with no hope for movement. So what do you do when this happens? Do you throw in the towel? Do you recalibrate and change course? Do you change your goals altogether?
When those curveballs come your way, you better have a great plan and/or a better alternative plan to deal with the curveballs. So how do you ensure that you are able to overcome these curveballs and boost your chances of success?
Based on personal experiences, here are some of key considerations to overcoming obstacles and boosting your success in whatever you do.
1. Start With Clarity
Starting with the end in mind is important. Before you jump into starting anything, be sure that you are clear about what it is you are getting yourself into and what your desired outcomes are. If you start without the clarity of your desired outcome, it might be messy and difficult to bail yourself out when obstacles appear. Having clarity before you jump into action applies to your life, career, job, employer, personal relationships, and business opportunities.
Without clear aspirations and desired outcomes, you might end up where you did not anticipate, take up any opportunity that comes your way in desperation. Imagine being stuck in an unpleasant relationship, job, or business deal you got into in desperation. Big organisations conduct due diligence before closing business deals. So, you too should investigate whatever choice you want to make to ensure they align with your desired outcomes and aspirations.
2. Set Goals And Don’t Cut Corners In Your Planning
Once you have the clarity you need about your desired outcomes, setting clear goals is the next prudent thing to do. Setting goals ensures that you don’t get to bite more than you can chew and find yourself out of your depth.
In setting goals, be sure that the goals you set are aligned with your dream. So be sure to emotionally connect to your goals. If you do not emotionally connect to your goals, your mind will not support you to act on them. When you are emotionally connected to the goals, you will be inspired to act on them.
With clear goals, you are in a position to put together a good execution plan with clear milestones to help you track your progress.
Don’t cut corners in this process. Cover all corners in your planning process to ensure that you have taken into account potential curveballs and how to potentially mitigate their impact.
3. Stay The Course
I am old enough to have attempted a number of ventures. Some I have walked away from when things did not work out as planned. But others I walked away from, not because it was time to walk away, but because walking away was the easiest thing to do. I can guarantee you that if you are in the habit of walking away when the heat intensifies in the kitchen, the only thing you will be great at will be starting.
Success requires finishers and finishers stay the course. When you have covered all the corners in setting your goals and planning execution, the next thing should be about finishing the race. Finishing is very important. It reduces the rate of regrets and the ‘what if’ trap. Be kind to yourself and finish what you start. All creations are a result of ‘finishing’. So, be a good finisher.
4. Be Willing To Fail To Succeed
Here is something we need to get used to: failure is part of success. This has always been the case and always will be. That is just how life goes. Here is are some instances where we have failed before but eventually succeeded: All of us as children learning to walk, you and I before acquiring our driving license, you before securing your current job.
We have been through failure but we do not get used to what it does to us. Persevering through a series of failures requires the right mindset towards failure. Embrace failure, it is here to stay until success arrives.
5. Ignore Plan B t your Peril
When things do not go according to plan there is often chaos, unhappiness, disillusionment, and stress. Encountering obstacles you did not plan for can be a suffocating experience. Some people believe that it is prudent to have a Plan B whilst others believe you do not make plans for an alternative plan, just stick with Plan A. This is a topic for another article altogether. Suffice to say my experience in raising children has proven that having contingency plans can make a big difference between having bliss or chaos in your life. This principle is applicable whether you are raising children, building a career, or growing a business.
You may be familiar with the saying that no one plans to fail, but failing to plan is planning to fail. I am one of the many who believe that you must always have Plan B. Big businesses have contingency plans as part of their risk management. That is Plan B. I believe you should have one too for your personal, career, or business success journey. See Plan B as part of your planning. Ignore it at your own peril.
6. Don’t Forget Your Positive Mindset
Our mind is our engine room. Whatever happens in there manifests in how we show up. When things fall apart in the mind space, things will eventually fall apart in the physical sphere. I believe that the mind is our first line of defence. So a positive mindset will help you ride rough waters. It will give you a chance to bet on yourself, your goals, and your plans. Believe that you will succeed, that you will rise up whenever you fall, that you will learn from every fall you encounter. I invite you to execute your plans with this belief in mind.
So, what are your key considerations for overcoming obstacles to boost your success?