The Major Obstacle to Success

The major obstacle that every person will face, on their path to success and how to move through it...

The Major Obstacle to Success

Today I wanted to chuck it all in.

I was sitting on bench down at the beach, in my fluffy blue bathrobe, the hand of the wind was slapping my face and I was watching it whip the sea up into a frenzy.

In June, I started a 21 day challenge of daily swimming in the sea (winter, here in NZ) and today - day 84 - I sat on the bench looking out to the frozen sea thinking what the f**k am I doing here? Why am I even doing this?!

A week ago, I’d been reflecting on how my morning swim had become something I looked forward to, it set me up for the day and I wouldn’t dream of missing it.

And today, I felt utter contempt for it.

And there it was. The seesaw of thought that we constantly experience. One moment we’re into something, the next moment we’re not. One moment I’m in love with cold water plunging and it’s transformational and the next moment I’d rather be a sword swallower in a travelling circus…that can’t travel.

The major obstacle that can take us out of the game faster than a speeding ticket – which almost had me turn on my heels this morning and head back to my warm bed – was that we completely identify with our thoughts.

We think we are our thoughts.

So, we have an “I’m not into it” or “I don’t want to…” or “I can’t do this” thought and we believe it. Because it’s in our head, so we think that’s truth.

And in thinking that, we allow that temporary, transient thought to push us to give up, throw in the towel…quit.

This thought seesaw happens frequently with any goal you’re passionate about. Some common excuses are not having enough time, money, skills, experience, confidence… If you listen to your thoughts and take them seriously, they’ll take you out of taking action daily. There will always be something else that ‘takes precedent’.

And so in seeing through that obstacle, for me, this morning, I reminded myself that I am not my thoughts. I am the observer of them. So that meant I didn’t have to believe it.

nstead, I ignored it and ran into the water.

And, as I came out refreshed – mentally and physically – I thought “thank goodness I did that today, it was amazing!” A further reminder of the temporary, transient nature of thought in the moment.

What would happen in your business / career, if you didn’t take the “I can’t…” thoughts seriously? Furthermore, what would happen if you just started believing the “I can…” thought.

Both are simply transient energy. And both become your experience, either way.

Always choose the thought that supports your highest vision.