Okay, so that’s just a title. Really, wearing a dress has nothing to do with overcoming obstacles. Though granted, a woman may look better in the dress than some men (and I do mean some, for others look better in a dress than I do!). But I digress. Already. And the day has just begun. Uh oh!

Anyway, back in the real world, what I meant to write was…

In order to be successful as an entrepreneur, you have to overcome a great many things. These “things” can typically divided into one of two categories (can’t everything?): Internal, and External.

Internal obstacles, though usually the HARDEST to overcome, are also the ones that are the most under your own control. External obstacles you can respond or react to.

External Obstacles

The number one way to deal with external obstacles is to have CLARITY. Understand your vision. Know exactly what it is you’re trying to do. Have some goal. You can’t just run in without a plan of some kind. Take the time to plan out your goals and the steps you intend to take to reach them.

• Even with an exceptional plan, the reality is that things rarely go exactly as you’d expect. You’ll have to stop and make changes at times, and that’s okay! Be prepared for the unexpected with ideas on how to handle a situation if it arises.
• Identify the parts of your plan that may become problematic and lay out alternatives.

Good planning will help you deal with the external obstacles when you get there. That, and a great imagination. Remember that there are ALWAYS multiple ways to solve a problem. One of my favorite memory acronyms for dealing with external obstacles is TLC: You can Take it, Leave it, or Change it.

Internal Obstacles

Some of those obstacles are created internally. Doubt, fear, and self depreciation are some of the more common culprits. You can overcome these self-created obstacles with a little hard work and determination.

Trust yourself. You’re in charge of your journey to success. You set your goals and you’re the one making it happen, so you must trust yourself. If you truly have a great passion for what you’re going to do, then you’ll be the best judge of what you want.

• Follow your instincts. That little voice in the back of your head may very well end up telling you exactly what you need to succeed in your goals.
• Nix the nay-sayers. There is no shortage of these people. Even though they are typically coming from a good place in their heart (they either don’t want to lose your friendship and be left behind, so they hold you back; or, they are trying to “protect” you from disappointment and failure and don’t know enough that any entrepreneur fails their way to success), set them aside for the time being. Find the one or two people that champion your idea. That will nurture this newborn with as much love, care and enthusiasm as you do. Then, once you have momentum on your side, THEN bring in the nay-sayers. But sparingly. And sift through the emotion to get to the content. It’s YOUR job to maintain your vision, your dream, your passion, not theirs.

Also, get help. You will need it. No success is ever achieved in a vacuum (unless you ARE a vacuum, and then it’s a different story). If there’s something in your way and it’s too big of an obstacle for you to remove on your own, get help! You can’t do everything by yourself. As humans, we’re social beings and we need help from those around us.

• Get your friends, family or co-workers involved and welcome their input on how to get around an obstacle in your path. This will bring in new ideas and fresh perspectives on the problem in ways you may have never considered.

Remember to periodically step back (or aside) and gain a fresh perspective. There are times when, no matter how hard you try, things just don’t go your way. This is where you need to stop, take a step back, and look at things from a different perspective.

• You become used to your routine, so the fine details can easily slip past you. Take a break and walk away for a little bit. Change your focus for a time; then come back to the problem and you may see something you missed.

Finally, and I can’t emphasize this enough, never ever give up. Nothing has ever been solved or accomplished by giving up. Vince Lombardi said it best: “Winners never quit and quitters never win!” This is as true as it gets.

• Being too rigid on something can be counterproductive. In order to succeed, we sometimes have to change our approach completely. Keep at the problem until you find a solution. It’s there; you just have to find it.

Sometimes you may find you need to start again. Sometimes, despite all your efforts, you need to rebuild from the ground up. Maybe one of your fundamental ideas was wrong and had an effect on everything else. This happens, and while it’s a setback, it’s not the end of your dream.

With a little more effort and hard work, you can do it!

Being successful isn’t easy and it involves a lot of hard work, dedication and sometimes sacrifices. With these tips, a good plan, and positive people around you to help, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

To your success my friend!

Britt