Handling Adversity and Obstacles?

I was never an outstanding student in school. I was above average and spent more time day dreaming than I did studying. I also knew many of my student friends who were the same.

In grade school I hated homework. I wanted to just go outside and play. I bet I am speaking for many others reading this column. Of course, boys were boys and it seemed for some unknown reason that the girls had studying figured out. I never understood why.

One thing I did understand, however, is that we all learn through handling adversity and challenges in life. That is and will always be the best education for each of us. Maw Maw Daigle always said, “You will learn from your mistakes in life.” That sounded so simple but ended up being so very true.

My mentors thought me (Maw Maw and Paw Paw Daigle were the first) that to overcome adversity and challenges in relationships you have to attack the ‘problem’ not the ‘people’. Your business and your family life are designed around relationships. You should never take out your frustrations on others. Words delivered the wrong way can hurt for a lifetime in business and in life in general.

Get all the information on the obstacle facing you and learn to respond to the situation instead of reacting. Responding means getting all the facts before you speak. Jumping to conclusions will never be the answer. You should list all the options for the solution. This will make you more clear as to the answer to your problem, obstacle or challenge.

Be open to look at all the positives in your life. Sure, life can be demanding and sometimes seeming to be not fair. Look at yourself and then look at those less fortunate than you. Be grateful (Read Chapter 11 in MASTERS OF SUCCESS on Gratitude found on www.keeppunching.com ) for what you do have. Be aware of your surroundings. Look for the opportunities in each day and make the most of each one no matter how small.

Rome was built in a day, was it? Opportunities surround us each and every day somewhere. Some people will act on an opportunity while others make a decision to leave them alone. Adversity and obstacles generally are nothing more than “opportunities in disguise” testing you to see if you really want to do better. I sincerely believe that. I know my life was full of challenges and still is. It is how you determine to tackle those challenges that will make the difference in your life.

The biggest challenge in life that most people will have to overcome adversity and obstacles will be the ability to make changes in their lives. One of my mentors told me, “For things to change, you have to change. For things to get better, you have to get better.” How so very true that is. My philosophy is, “If you aren’t happy with the last 5 years of your life and you don’t make changes, guess what? Your next five years are going to be the same.”