Obstacles and your reaction
As a business owner you have most likely have quite a bit of experience in dealing with various “obstacles”. These may come in different guises e.g. a new product or service that is slow to take off, having a variable cash flow but fixed overheads, handling demanding tasks or clients, etc.
The key question is: How do you manoeuvre yourself through these situations without becoming negative, angry, feeling helpless or staying stuck?
Let is explore some options:
Some people choose not to allow themselves to feel discouraged. They focus on what needs to be done next and stay on track with where they want to go with their business. They avoid being affected by factors over which they have little or no control.
Others see any obstacle as a challenge and become excited about finding ways to deal with these. They may talk to others, actively explore alternatives or even think about how they can find an opportunity in the situation.
Some of us are reflectors and need some time to think about the situation and see what we can learn from what is happening. If you look at a stream you may notice rocks and to the side a little pool of water. The water seems to circulate here or remain still before it is pulled back into the flow of the river again. Some of us are like that. We take a bit of a rest before building up energy to move on.
Others of us make a conscious decision to slow down and take our time to see how a situation will pan out. We may decide to take no action till we have greater clarity either on how we feel or how we chose to move ahead. An MD of a highly successful manufacturing plant describes it as playing for time. He says eventually the answer does come without you having to waste your time analysing and worrying about it.
Sometimes our timing is out – our ideas may be premature, ahead of what the market can take. That’s fine – put your idea on the shelf for a little while or keep on planting seeds by talking to others till you create the need and are then able to put forward your product or service as a solution.
Obstacles are often “tests” for us to work out exactly what we want and to go for it – even if at a snail’s pace.
In essence any obstacle gives us the opportunity to:
Get in touch with how we feel about what is happening to us
Work out what we really want
Deal with any fears we may have by looking at how we have responded in the past and find new ways of responding
Get out of a head mode where we often over–analyse. Instead we can allow room for our gut-feel to give us a message of how to move forward. Remember that intuition is NOT a logical head process. Intuition thrives on stillness and space where we are not trying to control the outcome, but waiting for that “AH HA” moment to appear of its own accord
Be playful and see life and challenges as a game where you can allow your creativity to flourish
The deciding factor however is YOU! Be playful like a child and try something different.
Have fun being playful!
The content in this article was provided by Linda Germishuizen - Clinical and Industrial Psychologist, and founder of PsychMastery.
About PsychMastery:
I founded PsychMastery because I understand that being human can be quite a daunting journey. We live in a world that is changing rapidly. As a result the demands on us are significant. Without even realising it you can find yourself on a path that is so far removed from who you truly are. Or where you want to be. Unless you are aware of what is happening to you, the demands of life may dictate where you will end up. And when you wake up to the reality, years have passed by.
I observe how disconnected people are or feel. Either they are caught up on this ever moving treadmill coping in unhelpful ways. Or they are questioning whether this is what life is about. So many people seem to have lost touch with the essence of who they are beneath all the masks and defenses.
PsychMastery enables you to reconnect with the essence of who you are. I also help you to bring deeper meaning back into your life through the use of sacred ceremony. In this way, you will feel that there is divine presence guiding you. You will also feel a greater degree of community with the important people in your life.
For more information, contact:
Website: http://psychmastery.co.za/
Tel: 082 467 3214
Email: linda@psychmastery.co.za