The Boulder in the Path

Erratic boulder on Scales Moor (Mike Green) / CC BY-SA 2.0

I work with people who are pursuing dreams and goals. You might say they are on a journey. Usually when we are on a journey we encounter obstacles… Say you are going to go for a hike... Well, if you set a large goal for yourself, like hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, you KNOW you will run into unforeseen obstacles like storms, boulders, maybe even grizzly bears.

Your boulder in real life might be internal like your own fear, resistance, and doubt. Or it might be external, like being fired or suffering an unexpected loss. 

What to do? Well, believing it IS surmountable is key. But before you can do that, you need to be able to SEE what the obstacle is. You have to be willing to get curious. If you meet a boulder on the path but all you do is hate that it’s there and put your blindfold on and hope it will move on it’s own – nothing’s going to change. And you’ll be stuck.

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But if you are willing to put your glasses on and summon some courage to find out what it is – what it looks like, feels like, how tall it is… Well the fear starts to recede and you arm yourself with powerful data about how to get past it: how to work with your fear, doubt, and resistance. You might even have fun along the way, learning to solve the problem.

The obstacle in the path is a powerful and helpful metaphor. Next time you get stuck, try to see yourself on a trail and figure out which obstacle this is: a drove of hornets, a dead-end trail, a lightening strike? (Doubt in your ability, a failed attempt, fear of success?) Then you can summon your resources, call on help, and strategize, so you can keep going – with more confidence than you had before.

What are your obstacles on the path? Leave a comment below and start a conversation! 

Best,
Jen ​