Obstacles to becoming successful can present themselves in many shapes or forms. It might come as external feedback such as rejection or naysayers; it might also present itself through internal challenges such as the disconnect to one’s own true purpose, passion, and values.
External Obstacles to Success
Alexandra Levit talked about Overcoming Career Setbacks in her recent article in the WSJ. I find her points to be quite applicable to other situations, too. Try reading her advice through the lens of entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders, too:
Overcoming Rejection, Ignoring Naysayers
Turning rejection into power: “Without being pushed against the wall, I would have not stretched myself and seen what I was really capable of.”
Recognize what you have accomplished up to this point and only accept constructive feedback from people who have appropriate experience: “Ignore naysayers unless they’ve specifically done what you’re trying to do”
Internal Obstacles to Success
I found Richard St. John’s insights on the journey into success quite enlightening. Richard is an entrepreneur who has experienced the personal ups and downs of business success. He has the scars to show but more importantly he gained invaluable insights that helped him become more of himself.
Contentment and Disconnectedness
As he reflected on his own path Richard found that once he became successful he became content with his achievements. Richard started to rely on his already acquired skills without embracing new challenges and took on tasks that did not play to his strengths, passions, and interests. He became increasingly un-reflected and disconnected of his true purpose. As a result he began to fail. As Prasad Kaipa, executive leadership coach, a colleague and friend of mine likes to ask: “Where is your foot nailed to the floor?” What is the the success that makes you feel content and unwilling to grow?
Experiencing failure after been quite settled in the experience of continuous success was quite traumatic for Richard. He went on to do what many people do. He tried to find a quick-fix, some easy solution outside himself that would take him out of this uncomfortable situation:
He bought himself a new car and when that did not help he started using Prozac. And he learned, quite painfully after a while that in order to become successful and fulfilled once again he had to turn back to himself and stop hiding behind external aids. He had to make an effort base his actions again on his authentic self, his passions, values, and true purpose.
Once he became again a Centered Leader he was not only able to reinvent himself; based on this new foundation he was able to become more successful than he had ever been.
An inspiration for leading from the inside-out.
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