Many of us think we have huge insurmountable obstacles in our life. But do we really? Are the obstacles that are keeping you away from your goals and dreams really in your way? Are your problems as bad as you say? This week I wanted to challenge you on your thinking. You are telling yourself a huge lie in that you can't do something because of whatever the circumstance is.

HOW?

Well, I want to show you some men who overcame the obstacles in their world and it was because of their thoughts. Not the fact that they had problems but they refused to see their problems as something that would hold them back.

A Hockey Accident

It was Winter 1885 and A bunch of boys was playing hockey. Then suddenly a hockey stick collided with a young Wil’s face. It caused some serious injuries. These injuries caused Will to have to drop out of high school. Doing so interrupted his dreams and aspirations of going to Yale.

Because of this, he did sink into a depressive state as he stayed home and tended to his mother who had Consumption. When she died in 1889 Will's brother and he opened a newspaper shop and eventually they pursued their passion for bicycles. From there they created the first heavier than air flying craft. 

Yeah, Wilbur Wright could have just decided that his dreams were over; he wasn't going to be rich or famous. Wilbur could have very well done just that. Yet he overcame the obstacles he saw as his circumstance and sidestepped them. With the help of his brother Orville, they flew the first airplane.

Only One Sell

You have heard of starving artists. How about a world-famous artist that only sold one painting? Yep, there was one man who had a passion for painting. He couldn’t stop painting. Yet he only sold one painting. Well, actually he sold only one painting. He sold several drawings but only one painting. And it was only 400 Belgian francs on top of that.

Now this one does end on a sad note; he died at the age of 37 thinking that he was an abject failure. Yet now Van Gogh’s paintings go for millions.

Try Try Again

What do you do if something doesn’t work? Do you give up? Maybe try another angle and then if that doesn't work give up? Would you try 10,000 different combinations before you gave up? Most of us wouldn’t yet without the bullheaded tenacity of Thomas Edison we would still be using oil lanterns for light.

Yet Thomas didn’t give up. He would try one way and then try another way. He would try combinations of the other ways that didn’t work. Thomas wouldn’t give up. When he finally got a light to work and didn’t go out in an instant, he knew he was on the right track. He is famous for saying

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

This is the way of thinking you have to put in your head. Keep pushing, as you start your new business or whatever adventure. You are going to get it wrong. Do I hear “yeah, but…”?

How about he has maybe a 7-grade education. He had ADHD. He found school boring. Yet, he still found knowledge the most interesting around him. He didn’t stop just because he didn’t have a school to go to, No. He pressed on.

Abject failure

This young man tried his hand at business and he failed several times. Our Gent even tried to get into public office. His first wife, who he loved dearly, died. His second wife nagged and scolded him because he wanted better and he wouldn’t just settle for good enough.

At 27 he had a nervous breakdown and suffered from bouts of depression for the rest of his life. He then proceeded to lose 3 attempts to get elected into congress. Failed spectacularly. He couldn’t even get the position at the Land Office

That wasn’t good enough for our destined hero. He tried to get the vice president and failed at that also. 19 of the 21 clergymen rejected his offer for his first run at the presidency. Yet eventually Abraham Lincoln did make it. Even then when he did become president the country broke out into Civil War. Yet he was able to reunite the country and remove slavery in the process.

Fightful story

How about one of the most prolific writers we have today. Stephen King's first book Carrie was rejected no less than 30 times. His work was rejected so many times that the nail he hung the rejection letters on couldn’t hold them. He even threw it in the trash at one point in the writing. Yet thanks to his wife Tabatha She convinced him to keep at it. Keep pushing. Keep trying.

He persisted. He didn’t see the rejection as a “no”. He saw it as “not this publisher”. He was willing to be uncomfortable till someone took him up on the book. He eventually sold it and he became wildly successful. That's not the end of his troubles. He developed a liking for cocaine and liquor. At the height of his addiction, he doesn’t even remember writing the book Cujo.

Again Stephen faced the challenge and got himself clean.

You see, all of these men had several obstacles in their life. They didn't give up and thought it was too hard. Some of them even had what would be called a disability and they still didn’t stop. They had the drive and fortitude to press on till they found their acres of diamonds. This isn't all of them either. I could have talked about Ben Franklin's challenges or the fact that Jim Carry was homeless for a while. Walt Disney had some roadblocks on his adventure to become the largest media corporation in the world.