In my last blog, we covered the components of making the plan. With every plan that you make, there will be obstacles. It’s important to identify the obstacles and then be aware of how you will overcome them. This planning will put you in a proactive posture, and you will not be demoralized when the obstacles come your way. They will come. I promise you. You don’t accomplish great things without obstacles. So plan and prepare for them.
Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, once said, “When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone.” If you are going to make the choice to overcome the obstacles that are certain to come your way, then make those choices in advance.
One of the reasons the United States special operations forces are so effective is that they spend a lot of time in their preparation for missions by determining all possible obstacles and potential set-backs and then formulating contingency plans. When a special operations force commences a mission, they usually have a very specific game-plan, however they always have several contingency plans for any obstacles they may encounter. The benefit is that when obstacles arise in the middle of a mission, they can quickly adapt and make the necessary adjustments. The absolute worst time to consider contingencies is when you are in the middle of executing a plan. It is much better if you have considered the possible obstacles in advance and prepared accordingly.
This is a step often overlooked on one side and often over-analyzed on the other. If you are a “glass half full” person, then your inclination will be to overlook this critical step. Positive people struggle to consider everything that could go wrong. This thinking runs counter to the core of their personality. If this is your predisposition, then force yourself to carry out this exercise. If you do not, you might be shocked and paralyzed when you reach your first obstacle. You may find yourself in a defensive posture looking for a quick way out. The result will not be good.
If you are a “glass half empty” person, then will have no problem at all considering everything that could possibly go wrong. The danger of this exercise is that you may use all the possible obstacles as reasons to abandon your goal before you ever begin. The value of listing all the possible obstacles will materialize when you are able to strike a balance between the two extremes.
As you list the potential obstacles, think about your contingency plans and how you will make adjustments. You will not only be equipped to make the necessary modifications, but you will also dramatically increase your level of confidence and your ability to achieve the goal in your quest to do great things.
Tags: Aaron Broyles, Applying Proven Entrepreneurial Methods to Achieve Success in Every Day Life, Do Great Things, Goal Setting, www.aaronbroyles.com
