Many of us lack confidence because of the obstacles in our life. I want to give you a formula that will turn obstacles into opportunities. If you can master this idea, it will help you to gain confidence.

In 170 AD, Marcus Aurelius said, “Our actions may be impeded… but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions, because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way, becomes the way.” 

Sounds strange, right? We don’t want an obstacle, we want a smooth path. But here are a few things to consider…

• Bad leaders are destroyed by crisis; good leaders survive crisis; and great leaders are improved by crisis.

• Leaders spend 5% of the time on the problem and 95% of the time on the solution. Weak leaders do the opposite. 

• Where one person sees a crisis, another person sees an opportunity.

• Desperation, despair, fear and powerlessness are reactions to your perceptions. 

So, if obstacles drive action, what can you do to turn our obstacles into opportunities and gain confidence? 

When faced with an obstacle:

1. Be objective. Put the obstacle in the proper perspective.

2. Control your emotions. Don’t let them get out of control.

3. Choose to see the good. Think about how you can turn things around to your advantage.

4. Steady your nerves. Don’t get yourself all riled up. 

5. Ignore what disturbs or limits others. Take a look at what average people do in the face of crisis and don’t do the same.

6. Put things in the proper perspective. Think about the positive and keep moving forward.

7. Focus on what can be controlled. Don’t waste energy on what can’t be controlled. 

Now let’s decide what we CAN control.

1. Your Emotions

You can control how you react to situations, so don’t blame others for your emotions.

2. Your Judgements

You are in control of your perception of situations and how you judge them.

3. Your Creativity

You are in control of finding a way to make something happen.

4. You Attitude

  This one can be difficult, but you are in complete control of your attitude towards situations. 

5. Your Perspective

You control our view of things. 

6. You Desires

You decide what’s important to you and what you want.

7. You Decisions

You are in control of the choices you make when faced with a situation. 

8. You Determination

You have the power to make things happen.

As you can see, YOU are in control of a lot! What can you NOT control? Everything else! 

So, you need to learn to not worry about the things you can’t control, and focus on the things you can control. If you can master your emotions, judgements, creativity, attitude, perspective, desires, decisions and determination, you can turn obstacles into opportunities!