If you’re going to be successful, you’re going to have to overcome obstacles….lots of them. The simple fact is that everyone faces obstacles and challenges everyday. The major difference is that successful people persevere and find ways to overcome the obstacles while those who aren’t so successful use these obstacles as excuses for not succeeding.

I’m no different than anyone else. I have obstacles to overcome too. For example, an opportunity has come up recently which I won’t elaborate on at this time but the “perfect storm” of circumstances including the timing, the weather, and my travel schedule has arisen to make a simple task full of challenges.

I’ve been in Phoenix for almost the past four months. I specifically chose someplace warm because I hate snow and cold weather. It seems without exception bad things happen when it snows and I’ve had a not-so-subtle reminder in the past few days. I need to receive a Fed Ex package with an assignment and reply to it by Monday April 21. On the surface, it seems very simple doesn’t it? It hasn’t worked out that way.

First of all this is the week of my brother’s wedding and I’ve known I would be driving across the country most of the week for probably 6 months. Secondly, I make a conscious effort not to be anywhere there is even a remote chance of a blizzard until May when I feel safe Spring has sprung. I made a rare exception this week to drive through Minnesota to pick up my uncle for the ride to New York so he could attend his nephew’s wedding and see his children.

Literally while I was on the road, this opportunity came up. I was a day away from Minnesota (or so I thought) and planning to be there through the weekend leaving early Monday morning so it seemed simple enough to have the package delivered to Minnesota where I could work on it over the weekend. It was sent Fed Ex overnight delivery on Thursday to arrive Friday.

Of course the blizzard hit Thursday & Friday. I drove through it for two days. It was absolutely miserable. I saw at least 3 jacknifed Fed Ex trucks on the interstates. Of course the package did not arrive Friday. It wasn’t delivered on Saturday either. Not knowing when (or even if) the package would be delivered on Monday, I left at 6 AM just like I had planned. Of course the package arrived about 10:15 AM Monday morning.

So now I’m scrambling to have the package delivered again to New York. It ought to arrive by Friday or Saturday…but it should have arrived in Minnesota last Friday or Saturday too so who knows. And how much time do you figure I’ll have to focus on the task with all the wedding chaos? I only have a vague idea of what the task is because I don’t have the package yet.

It would have been simple to handle this at any time during the previous 4 months while I was in Phoenix. And it would have been simple to handle this next week or probably for the next several weeks. But it all had to happen this week when I’m driving literally across the country to my brother’s wedding and throw in a freak April blizzard on the way.

Why? Who knows and who cares? It doesn’t matter. It’s a complete waste of time to wonder why or why me? That’s what losers do. They would use all these obstacles as excuses. I’ll just deal with it and do the best that I can. The reality is that I was able to get my deadline extended to Wednesday April 23rd and if the package arrives this weekend that should be plenty of time.

Don’t get bogged down in the details of this particular situation. The bigger picture is that everyone faces their own challanges on a daily basis. It would be stupid to think you’re the only one with obstacles to overcome. We don’t have much control over when opportunities arise. We can only pounce on those opportunities quickly before they disappear despite any and all challenges that arise. Good luck overcoming your obstacles.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Share this post: