What’s In Your Way?

The Scenario

Jill, a marketing director, has just been assigned a high-exposure project and great opportunity.  Without an addition to her staff, however (which she was told is unlikely), she is concerned about being able to meet the aggressive deadline.

Martin, a technical writer for a large corporation, has identified a smaller company where he’d love to work, but he’s not aware of any openings and doesn’t know anyone at the company.

Kevin, a partner in a fast-paced consulting firm, wants to get back to exercising consistently but is stymied by his jam-packed schedule.  He also feels bogged down by some of the projects he has taken on and the mountains of paper in his office.

The Frustration

These people share the same frustration.  They want to work on what they view as their top priorities but are faced with obstacles that feel like time-wasting annoyances.

The Irony

Not wanting to deal with what can seem like the small stuff doesn’t make the big stuff happen any sooner.  The actual time-waster is not fully addressing the obstacle or acknowledging it as the priority.

The Lesson

Often when dealing with obstacles, reframing how you see them is what’s required to move through them.  As Sanford Meisner (the renowned acting teacher) said: “That which hinders your task is your task.”

The Challenge

What is currently preventing you from making progress in an important area?  Frame your obstacle as a worthy priority.  Take this approach, and it will be behind you that much faster.