Faith to Face Obstacles

How many of us doubt our abilities to face and overcome obstacles??

Several years ago, I used to participate in a sporting obstacle course called Warrior Dash. Warrior Dash is a 3 to 5 mile event with a series of obstacles which include water obstacles, fire obstacles, mud, dirt, and walls. You could go at your own pace but the best part of the course was that every year they moved to a different location and the obstacles were always different.

For me, I LOVED it. I never cared about the obstacles. You had the option to avoid the obstacles you had to face but I never did. I welcomed everyone. At the end of the course, I would be dirty, smelly, nasty and funky. Yet, I had completed the course and negotiated every obstacle.

I’m not surprised Warrior Dash worked for me. I had run obstacle courses when I was in the Military (Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, 4 years of ROTC, Advanced Camp, and Officers Basic Course). In each situation, I had the same feeling. I relished the opportunity to face the obstacles. I negotiated the obstacles. I completed the course. I LOVED IT!

Despite this feeling, when I ran my own law firm, I was often terrified. Every day presented a new obstacle. I faced them. I negotiated them. However, I was often worried about whether the next obstacle would result in my firm collapsing.

What’s amazing is that I successfully ran my law firm for almost 10 years. You would think with that degree of success (despite the occasional set back) that I would have the same level of energy as I did when I was running an obstacle course.

In both situations, I knew there were obstacles in front of me. I didn’t know what they were. I knew there was a finish line. I knew I had to engage them.

The difference between the two was confidence and faith. When I ran each and every obstacle course (a total of about 11), I was confident in my ability to face the obstacles and had the faith in my ability to reach my destination. However, when I ran my law firm, I knew I would have to face obstacles but despite my repeated success in conquering every obstacle I faced, I wasn’t confident I could do it again and I sometimes lacked the faith in my ability to keep the obstacles from crushing my firm (which no obstacle ever did).

Sometimes, we convince ourselves the confidence and faith we have in one area doesn’t apply to all areas. The gifts we have which makes us the powerful people we are don’t leave us once we use them for different things. So, when you have those days of doubt, just remember. The obstacles may change but the courage, confidence, strength and faith to overcome will always remain.

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