What obstacles do you face in the pursuit of success?

Andy Gibney made it to Silver Medallist in the World Championship Stick Fighting competition. He was already British Champion and fully expected to become World Champion.

Undeterred, he entered the competition the following year and ended up as…..  Silver Medallist again.

The experience of ‘not quite making it’ is one that resonates with many people, especially those who start their own businesses.

What is interesting is what we choose to do about it.

Do we settle for less or do we explore other ways to get what we really want?

Do we stick with what is comfortable or push ourselves into those places where we’re not quite sure what might happen?

One of Andy’s physical demonstrations showed quite clearly that when we focus on a problem (a weakness) rather than on a solution we can expect a very different result.

Try this exercise:

Choose which of these is most important to you:

Health     Freedom     Security      Success     Comfort     Adventure     Contribution     Loyalty     Knowledge      Intimacy     Honesty     Power     Love     Passion

When you have done that, go back through the list and choose the second most important and then the third – make sure you write them down.

Now look at this list and choose which one you take care to avoid experiencing at all costs:

Frustration     Depression     Humiliation     Rejection     Guilt     Failure     Loneliness     Anger

As before, go back through the list and choose the second and the third emotions that you would take care to avoid experiencing.

Now compare your lists.

If there is a conflict in the things you seek and the things you try to avoid you will experience difficulties in achieving what you say or believe you want.

Resolving these conflicts and understanding what you REALLY want is the key to success (whatever that means to you).