Removing Obstacles to Success

Success would be inevitable if we removed every excuse and obstacle in the way of getting things done. It would be like rolling down a hill - the path would be so clear and inviting that it would be harder to not do the thing.

For example, I realized I would need to write to be more successful. But I got anxious about sitting in front of the computer and writing. So I didn't. I talked to myself for a year about writing, but nothing happened.

Finally I realized that if I felt intimidated about writing on the computer, why didn't I remove that obstacle? I would write the old fashioned way, by hand, in a spiral bound notebook.

Then, I worried about how good the writing was. So I removed that obstacle by telling myself I never had to read it again because I was just developing the habit of writing. Then, I thought I didn't have the time to write, so I said it would only be one page.

Your brain does this you know - digs up excuses to not do something. I just kept arguing back until my brain ran out of excuses.

The last excuse? I wasn't going to write as much as I would if I sat down at the computer. But I wasn't writing anyway! It was better to be doing something no matter how small and simple than to be doing NOTHING.

After several months, I had a completely full notebook. It was usable information that clarified my thinking. I felt good enough about writing that I started a blog. And there's more in my writing future, just from removing those obstacles and excuses.