An obstacle is something that makes it difficult to do something. It's an object that you have to go around or over, or something that blocks your path physically or mentally. The best and highest achievers, however, don’t see, feel, or sense obstacles. They define and embody a mindset that gets in front of all that and eliminates a lot of it, minimizing them into illusions. In this episode, Darren CdeBaca uncovers the Big Five obstacles and the seven questions we need to ask ourselves to clear up where we’re going and what we’re controlled with to make them obstacle illusions. It's too important not to succeed because of obstacle illusions. Tune in and learn how you can put in the effort, minimize your obstacles, and move on to your journey.
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Obstacle Illusions
If you're not taking notes, please don't be afraid to come back and read any part of this show for those messages, ideas, phrases, thoughts, and the format I'm going to share with you about our topic and write them down. Make them part of your daily vision, your weekly vision, your monthly vision, your quarterly vision. This is about powerful words and format. It's sticking your mind and grab hold of you to move forward with clarity, calm and confidence. This discussion is titled Obstacle Illusions. It's one of my favorites because it means so much to me from my early years. Before I initiate this topic and discuss it a bit, let me share with you the phrase that defines our work at DCB Strategies, “Being the best and average have nothing in common.”
I say this all the time but I want to remind you that being the best and average do have nothing in common. This is the best capture, the essence of achieving bold goals with their plan of accountability and purpose. If you say that to yourself, “Being the best and average have nothing in common.” I would ask you how does that resonate when you say that to yourself? What side of the sand are you on when you draw that line in the sand? The best or the average. Where do you feel you are? No judgment but we all can do our best. We’ll be working hard enough with the right ideas and phrases and triggers and persistence to do our best and to grow the way we want to grow.
Obstacle Illusions: What Is It?
Let me share with you that the best is so evident in this topic we're talking about, which is obstacle illusions. This is something that the best does not even work with. They don't see obstacles, they don't feel obstacles, they don't sense obstacles. They define and embody a mindset that gets in front of all that and eliminates a lot of it, therefore, named obstacle illusions. As I mentioned, this topic is very near and dear to my heart. It’s personal. It started early on in childhood recognizing that I grew up in a blue-collar household. In this case, we worked very hard for everything. We were grateful for everything and entitled to nothing. Along the way, I was never told I could not do things. That’s the opposite. I was always encouraged and therefore, the placement of obstacles was never a discussion. “If I only had this bigger, faster, stronger, if I was smarter,” that never entered in our family discussion.
I was constantly encouraged by my loving parents, my great friends and wonderful influential coaches, to say the least, to put me in the work atmosphere, “You’ve got to work a little bit harder than everyone else. You’ve got to work a little bit harder and smarter to excel in high school and maybe in sports and maybe get accepted into a college.” In our family's case, to become the first in my entire family to ever get accepted to a college. I didn't grow up with that pinned over my head. As I got closer to graduate from high school, it became apparent that I potentially would be the only person to ever go to college. In my senior year in high school, I was awarded the coveted student-athlete award for San Francisco, which was a huge honor.
Shortly thereafter, I was accepted into Dartmouth College as a student-athlete. Who had ever thought way back twelve years prior? No doubt. That was a valuable imprint in my mind that anything is possible when you have a solid purpose. This obstacle seemed to have never played havoc with my arduous journey. I was taught the ethic of, “Work harder and work smarter,” I continued that and from a blue-collar family to the big green, Dartmouth College. It was quite rewarding. When I got to college, I had to practice the same format, “Work a little harder, work a little smarter, work a little bit more, etc.” Obstacles are never in the way. When they were, they became illusions because I re-examined them. That, fortunately, carried me into the professional world where I had the privilege of working with many of the best and highest achievers in the corporate setting in the financial industry.
It was so clear that a common thread was illuminated every time I would work with these folks. That common thread was obvious. They never had excuses. They never blamed anyone other than themselves. They did not have any obstacles in their way of succeeding. In retrospect, that was, “He never did say anything about obstacles.” It was obvious when you're part of that mindset. When you talk to people of the same ilk, you don't talk about this unrealistic obstacle or it's a realistic obstacle, we get that part.
In the platform of coaching at DCB Strategies, one of the things that I first deliver to clients is, we take profiling called a breakout profiling time, whether it's an individual, the team or the company. It's the discovery phase of answers of what I call eyebrow lifting, open-ended questions. There are only a few of these questions. These are open-ended questions to break open the mind to discovering the answer about how they feel or how they are settled in to their prospect of achieving and optimizing their growth.
One of the questions is, in the desired interests of accomplishing your bold growth goal, what do you see as an obstacle? What do you have as a set of obstacles? That is an open-ended question because they can go in many different directions, and they do. Let me first define for everybody reading, what we all agree upon is an obstacle. An obstacle is something that makes it difficult to do something. It's an object that you have to go around or over, or something that blocks your path physically or mentally. I'd ask you as a colleague, with your current growth goal or goals that you're pondering right now, can you identify any current obstacles? Do you have some current obstacles or an obstacle that you see in front of you? If so, what is it? What are they? Name that 1, 3, 2, 5, and read them out loud, “I have an obstacle which is this.”
How did that sound to yourself when you said them out loud? You're admitting to something that maybe you're unable to resolve because you don't have the energy, the excitement, the purpose, the passion or whatever. You’re admitting the fact that you have an obstacle because it's comfortable to do that and it's a real obstacle. The majority of the obstacles we hear about are obstacles that require what I just mentioned: passion, excitement, a mindset, a plan, clarity, calm. Once you get those things in play, obstacles become illusions. Let's share a couple of the same obstacles we see out there in DCB Strategies, which are real. Once we get involved in the Decide Commit Become platform and exercise ourselves ready to achieve, these obstacles we mentioned here become illusions. All of a sudden, we're working past them and through them.
Some of the few most common obstacles I hear, “I'm short on time. My days are jam-packed. I have no time to get onto this growth goal. I’m not knowledgeable about the topic. I don't have any experience in the space. I don't even know how to get there. I'm going to need to get designated or licensed first before I start. I need to build my brand or reputation don't you think before I start doing that? Nobody knows my expertise, so how are they going to know me? I need approval from compliance or marketing before I get on to this project. I need someone else to help me. I need some more human capital to help me out with this project or this growth goal. Not sure of the steps I needed to accomplish quite clearly, I don't know what steps to take. I don't have the money to purchase the app or the technology or the new computer. I don't have that money.” What I hear constantly is this, “I'm not confident about getting this done.”
We self-examine what that confidence is about. It’s lack of information, lack of steps, strategy, structure and confidence, we get that. It all boils down from the beginning. Typically, people are too distracted out there. They don't have a creative side of the brain going. When you're distracted, you don't have a calm, and calm creates creativity. Creativity finds success or finds resolution on things. Another common obstacle that I hear about is, “I am afraid of this may succeed that I may have to do it.” I get that. That's fear but it's natural human because you're getting out of your comfort zone. We want to get out of our comfort zone to grow, that's what's going to require. We’re physically not ready. If there are physical boundaries or mental boundaries, we get it. We examine them and see if they're realistic or unrealistic or need more information. Those are some of the few of the obstacles that I hear as common obstacles for many of our clients.
The Big Five
What I've done is centered around the Big Five. These Big Five obstacles are them. These Big Five obstacles have different variations or degrees that evolve into the ones I mentioned. The Big Five obstacles are time, resources, knowledge, excitement to make it happen, and confidence. The Big Five obstacles that people breathe are, “I don't have the time. I need more resources. I don't have enough knowledge. I don't know if I'm excited enough about this. I'm not confident that I can get this done.” Those are the Big Five. Everything else seems to be derivatives off of that, the other obstacles. It's acceptable, no science, it’s just the way humans work but we boiled it down.
After our initial coaching dialogue regarding their obstacles that they mentioned, we quickly get on the same page by agreeing that these obstacles mentioned for the lack of better terms are illusions. That sounds pretty bold for me to say. I don't mind minimizing anybody's concerns. We’ve got to call it like it is. If you're running with a bad stride and you want to coach with a better stride to make your run better, faster and longer, then get back to the right stride. We want to get back to the right stride. The door to these things is our illusions. The obstacles that you perceive are ones that if you have made more time, you become resourceful. You gain more knowledge on your own, you become excited about what you're doing. You gain confidence. There are ways to do that. All of a sudden, you're breaking down these obstacles and they are becoming illusions.
What is an illusion? An illusion reminds us of the deceptive impression of reality. It’s our false or misleading perception or belief. The time where I see a deceptive impression of reality is when people can't get out of their comfort zone. They stay on the default side of the brain. They're concerned about getting to the deliberate side that requires action and progressive growth and provides confidence, provides calm. They're afraid of going there. If you’ve never been to open up that door before, it can be somewhat alarming of the success that may come your way. Illusions or false or misleading perceptions are deceptive impressions of reality. Once we exercise a couple of formats of your mindset and where we are, and how we can control those and what we're actually in control of, they seem to minimize or go away. Some are not illusions. Some are just aren't reality.
To tell you the truth, we at DCB Strategies, we are firm believers in the ability to achieve your largest growth goals. Don't get me wrong, I want everyone to succeed. The reason that propels me to say that is I often hear from our clients that they would never be able to do this unless we got coaching through DCB Strategies. They thought it was unrealistic. We uncovered some issues. We covered some opportunities. We have a new format, DCB Strategies Decide Commit Become comes into play. They get it done. That was an obstacle illusion. They thought they never could do it.
We realize that there are some real obstacles out there. For example, playing in the NBA with no basketball experience is not reasonable. Running in the 2021 Olympics with no running experience is not reasonable. Heading up a Fortune 500 company with no leadership experience is not usually reasonable. Shooting par golf within three months of picking up your first club ever is typically unreasonable, or having one lesson and then doing that. Being the best sales rep in the nation on your firm after being there for two weeks in the job is highly improbable. You get the message. There are some realistic obstacles out there.
The 7 Questions
We uncover the Big Five and we get to them. Let's discuss how we get to them. The first thing to do is we’ve got to put this on paper and then get them out of sight. Here are the seven questions we ask ourselves to clear up where we’re going and what we’re controlled with to minimize that obstacle illusion. Number one, write the obstacle down and say it to yourself. Interesting to witness that when we do this exercise, the magic occurs when they say it to themselves out loud. It's like, “That doesn't seem to be an obstacle. I didn't mean it that way or maybe that's not as important as I thought it was.” When you say it out loud, your brain digests it differently like, “This is me? It can't be me.” That's three-quarters of the time that happens when you write it down and say it out loud to yourself. That makes you feel accountable. It's easy when you write them down with no accountability. When you say it, it magnitudes the accountability on your side. We all understand that on the surface and with no accountability, obstacles can remain present. With accountability and pride of control, the ability to not concern yourself being uncomfortable. These obstacles can disappear. Number one, write it down and say it to yourself.
Number two, identify if this is a real obstacle. Is it a real obstacle or obstacles? Is it a convenient road that we want to hang out with and drive down comfortably? Convenience has to do with your comfort zone. We talked about that. Number three, ask yourself, “Why is this an obstacle to me or for me? Why is this an obstacle to me or for my team or my company?” Answer that question by saying, “What am I doing about it to resolve it?” It puts you in action mode. “What am I doing to resolve it now? Am I doing to resolve it now?” It puts you in an action mode to eliminate it. Number four, revisit, “Did I ever try to achieve this growth goal for myself, my team or my firm? If so, did these same obstacles come up and play? Why did they back then? Why aren't they going to be a part of the growth ladder this time?” It's okay to revisit. If you don't need to revisit and it's not there, then you skip that step.
Number five, what is the purpose of your goal? What is the result of your goal? Is it meaningful enough to you? Is the purpose of growing in your growth goal in play? If it's strong enough and it is meaningful to you and the result is large enough, let me assure you, your obstacles will disappear. Number six, the size of your growth goal must be larger than the effort it takes in getting to your growth goal. If it's not, increase the size of your growth goal, go bigger. You want to make sure that the effort you put in is worth that. If all of a sudden, the effort is larger than the goal, you'll never get to it. It's okay to have a larger goal than the effort. That's the objective of it. It makes us bigger and stronger personally and professionally. It’s contagious when we get that happening.
Number seven, are you excited about this? Do you have a mindset of committing to the actions needed to achieve? I have a safe statement at DCB Strategies called, “Excitement breaks barriers.” I'm going to do a show on this topic. It does break barriers, and thus, it breaks obstacle illusions. Let me remind you of the seven. Write it down and say them to yourself, which provides accountability. Identify this obstacle is real or it's just a convenient road to go down at the moment. Number three, what is that obstacle right now? What are you doing to resolve that? Number four, revisit it. Did you ever have the same obstacles in the past?
Number five, what's the purpose of the growth goal and your desired result? That’s large enough because that goes into number six, is your desire growth goal larger than the effort it takes to get there? If it isn't, make it larger. You have earned the opportunity to do that. Number seven, are you excited enough? Do you have a compelling mindset? For once you do a mindset that's compelling to achieve that growth goal that's large enough that says, “That's much bigger than the effort it is going to take to get there.” Therefore, you're always propelled to go after it. You become excited. Hands up in the air, obstacle illusions are gone.
I thank you for your time and I'm so excited to share these, the identification process of the Big Five, obstacle illusions are real in today's decisions out there, comfort zone, non-comfort zone, the seven steps to make them obstacle illusions, thus minimize them, thus move on to your journey. Let me give you some examples of some athletes that I've witnessed in the past that I've admired. They have adversity that's beyond and they could let those become obstacles in their success. Adrian Peterson one of the best NFL running backs ever in NFL, and I think a lot of you recognize his accolades over the years. He was born and raised in an impoverished family. His dad was in prison the entire time. He had a poor upbringing. His stepbrother was murdered in the community that he grew up in. Right before the drafts, he had a lot in his mind.
Adrian said this, “Things that I go through, I've said a thousand times.” It helps him play the game better on a different level. He's able to release a lot of his stress to the sport, so that's what he's planning to do. He used that adversity in his best interest to break down obstacles that could have been there for success. One example, Jim Abbott, a Major League Baseball player who was born with only one arm. He showed everybody that there was no obstacle. He was excited from day one. As he learned how to catch and throw with one arm, he became one of the best Major League pitchers out there who played for Toronto Blue Jays. Adversity? Yes. Obstacles? No.
Number three, a lady from Hawaii named Bethany Hamilton. At age thirteen, while surfing, her favorite sport, she had her arm bit off. One of her arms was bitten right off. It didn't stop her. Adversity? Yes. Her goal was much larger than the effort it took to get back, therefore, it propelled her and excited to become one of the most sought-after professional female surfers in the world later on in young adult life. Pelé, one of the best Brazilian Soccer players ever in the history of the sport. He said, “Success is no accident. It’s hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, a love of what you are doing or learning to do.” Another word of saying that is a mindset of excitement on what you were doing or learning to do. Pelé captured it all.
There are no obstacles if you love it. Put it in the effort and the sacrifice, you get the success. You'll look back and say, “What obstacles?” Thanks very much for your time. Take a moment to read some of your favorite segments of this show, mold them into your day. It's too important not to succeed because of obstacle illusions. Visit our website at DCBStrategies.com or email me at Podcast@DCBStrategies.com. We’re more than happy to contact with you and carry on further opportunities for growth. I always say in my closing, stay healthy, stay passionate and make it a great day.
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