If you believe it's an obstacle, it will be.

Obstacles are things that get in our way. A fallen tree on the road can prevent you from getting to the wedding on time. You can sweat bullets but it won’t change the outcome.

In business, obstacles always boil down to getting paid on time. You can pull your hair out but it won’t change the situation.

So what can you do?

My first venture in taking a major business risk was when I endeavored (and succeeded) to buy and flip an old home. The shock came when I discovered it was a real money pit. But a worse shock came right after purchasing it. I became unemployed—it was sudden and never expected. Now with no salary, how was I going to make the mortgage payments let alone fix the junk heap up? This was a come to Jesus moment.

Literally.

I prayed for an answer, hoping to hear something like, “A better, higher paying job awaits you.” But instead I heard something I was getting used to hearing: “You must be inconcussible.” If you’re wondering if that is a real word, it is, but you won’t find it in today’s dictionaries because it was last used in print a couple hundred years ago, according to the Oxford dictionary.

The definition was at that time: “Not concussible, that which cannot be shaken.” What did this mean? I could only imagine it had something to do with not getting a concussion from hitting my head against the wall.

Deep down, however, I knew this was a call to action to take a stand against the invading fear. I couldn’t cave to it. I needed to be unshakable in faith and courage. Ugh. There was no hope in this “revelation.” I felt like a tsunami hit me and now another one was on its way. And it was. That year, the tidal wave hit in the form of “everything that can go wrong, did.” Everything!

But yet I survived and was left awash in a new spirit. I learned so much. I gained new friends. I built muscle during the home improvement process, and grit. But beyond all that, I earned a level of faith I never possessed before—because so much help came from places I could never have imagined. And then…the new job came at a much higher salary. And, remarkably, I sold the house and made a six-figure profit. It all added up to a miracle.

In conclusion, when you’re faced with an obstacle, consider it’s a divine gift instead. For me it was a holy conversion that brought forth my highest self. Since then, when I face any challenge or obstacle (many), I get very quiet and rely on guidance and personal grit—which includes an endless amount of good, old fashioned patience.

Obstacles are something we all must face. I’d love to hear how you've navigated them when they've come your way.