As human beings, we often encounter unexpected barriers that can impede our progress toward achieving our goals. When faced with such barriers, we may become discouraged and make excuses for not moving forward. However, planning ahead for potential obstacles can help us stay on track and maintain our momentum.
Internal Barriers
Internal barriers refer to the thoughts and emotions that we have about ourselves, our goals, and our abilities that prevent us from being successful. Examples of internal barriers include personal fears, lack of motivation, low self-esteem, and limiting beliefs.
To overcome internal barriers, it’s essential to identify them and come up with a plan to address them. For instance, if you’re struggling with motivation to work on a particular assignment, commit to working on it for at least 15 minutes before taking a break. If fear of making phone calls is hindering your marketing campaign, enlist the help of a friend to make the calls with you. And if procrastination is an issue, have a friend call you every day to remind you to spend time on your goal.
External Barriers
External barriers, on the other hand, are obstacles that are outside of our control, such as financial constraints, time limitations, lack of resources, and other people’s reactions. While we can’t control these barriers, we can plan for them by developing contingency plans.
For example, if a client turns down your proposal, ask questions to find out why, and then resubmit it with improvements. If you forget important materials, such as worksheets, fax a copy to the necessary location and get new copies made. And if landscaping blocks don’t arrive on time, pad the timeline and let the client know in advance, so you can work on other projects until the blocks arrive.
Benefits of Preplanning for Barriers
By preplanning for potential barriers, we increase our chances of success and develop a sense of resilience and determination that can carry us through even the most challenging times. Moreover, having contingency plans in place allows us to respond quickly and effectively when unexpected obstacles arise, keeping us on track and moving toward our goals.
Overcoming barriers to achieving our goals requires a proactive approach that involves preplanning for potential obstacles, both internal and external. By identifying potential barriers and developing strategies to overcome them, we can stay motivated, focused, and on track toward realizing our dreams. Remember, the key to success is not in avoiding obstacles but in learning how to navigate around them.
Leave a comment