People deal differently with the obstacles that crop up in their life. If you want to judge a person's chance of success, look at how he or she (or you) deals with obstacles. 

How can you deal with an obstacle? 

For the purpose of this discussion, we're going to use a physical obstacle that we're mostly all familiar with: the wall on an obstacle course. In military training, troops are taught how to scale the wall. In real life, when we're confronted with such a wall, these are our choices: 

1. Give up.
2. Go Around
3. Go Through
4. Go Over
5. Determine a better way to deal with it.
6. Make yourself better, so you can go over the obstacle.
7. Lying, and say you actually got over the wall, when you didn't.


Each solution deals with the wall. Let's see what the decision says about us. 1. Some people will choose to give up -- "The wall is too high," or "I'm not up to it," or my favorite, "I didn't really want to conquer that wall, anyway." People who choose this alternative will be the ones who always give up when the going gets tough. They back out of a marriage at the first sign of trouble. They refuse to deal with problems on the job. They never challenge themselves, because they realize they're going to give up. They live a life half-lived, because they never choose to challenge themselves. 

2. Going around the wall is, after going over the wall, usually the best alternative. It may not be the solution that the drill instructor wants -- but if this were really combat, going around the wall would be the most expedient method. Sometimes, we are presented with only one pre-canned answer, but the truth is that in life, there are almost always other alternatives. A person may give you a choice between "A" and "B," but as the great negotiator Herb Cohen always said, there are more alternatives than what are presented to you. Not only is there an "A" and a "B," but there's always a "2" or a "green" or something else. Going around the wall is expedient, and may be the best method in real life -- if you can live with your choice. This shows the ability to see the shortest and most efficient method to deal with life. 

3. Go through the wall. Ever seen a tunnel on a road? The road's designer decided that going through was the best way -- It opened up possibilities that hadn't previously existed. It may have shortened the trip dramatically, or cut costs significantly. It may take some time, or required some effort, but it seemed to be the best way. I remember on a "Burn Notice" episode, the lead character had to get into an adjacent office, so confronted with an expensive lock on the door, after checking for the presence of electrical wiring, he kicked his way through the sheet rock wall. This shows an ability to see creative solutions to overcoming standard problems. 

4. Go over. This is the path they want you to take, and it's a good solution -- but it takes vim and vigor, and not every one can go over the obstacle. If you can't do it today, perhaps you will do it tomorrow (see number 6). People who choose this path are confident in their ability -- and if they pull it off, it works well for them. 

5. Determine a better way. Yes, I know it sounds as if I just put this in for the heck of it -- but this is a significant thing to do. Drop the wall into a rock crusher. Cut through the wall with a diamond-tipped blade. Find a better way to do it, and not only will the world beat a path to your door, but you'll make it so the people behind you have it better. People who are like this always look for improvement, and it's a great way to go. 

6. Make yourself better. This is the best way, and it's the one used by the Marines. If you can't get over the wall today, work hard and you'll get over it tomorrow, or the next day or the next. As life gives you obstacles, develop the ability to deal with them, and then do it. Work and practice until you get past the obstacles -- that will prepare you for greater obstacles in the future. The Marines need this ability, because they may be called upon to scale many obstacles -- but we should also never shy away from the challenges that crop up in our lives. Make yourself better. That's always a good choice. The people who do this are those who never give up, and realize that patience and tenacity always works in your favor. 

7. Lie about it. I put this one in here because I know a few people who can't stand to tell the truth. Lying is not a good choice. People always figure it out. Some will figure it out sooner, some will figure it out later. But even the slowest people will eventually figure out when you like about this kind of thing. The person who will lie about their accomplishments isn't to be trusted. Stay away from them -- they'll always try and blame everything on you. 

There may be other choices, but looking at your choice will tell you a lot about yourself, and your approach to life. It'll also tell you a lot about the people around you.

 

 

Copyright, 2010, by Daryl R. Gibson. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for the non-commercial redistribution of this document as long as it remains intact with this copyright and all other lines. This license does not extend to the use of this material in a compilation, whether for profit or non-profit use. Join us at http://www.Weekdaywisdom.com.