The Road Paved with Obstacles

by Stephen T. Messenger

June 27, 2023

“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it”  — Michael Jordan

I’ve seen the above illustration a number of times with the bike rider hoping for an easy path but instead encountering challenge upon challenge upon the way. The message is both frustrating and encouraging: Life will be harder than you think; don’t give up.

This concept is easy to say and hard to do. We all hope for the top path with a straight line to the finish. Yet the road we travel is fraught with peril. Our job is not just to relentlessly tackle these obstacles, but also to acknowledge the hardships along the way and celebrate the intermediate victories.

My Obstacle Filled Road

I’m currently in the final phase of my doctorate degree. The only thing left between me and the finish line is the dissertation, a year-long process that started in January.

I have been dutifully riding my bike along the path to complete the first of three phases requiring multiple independent reviews. I passed the initial review and was well ahead of schedule—smooth trails ahead.

But just last week at my six-month mark, I received word from the second board that 100 pages of writing needed a significant overhaul, and I basically reset to the beginning. Ouch. This was an unexpected water obstacle in the middle of my bike ride.

What’s a Leader to Do?

I’ll start with the one thing not to do—quit. You’re placed in a position or are challenging yourself for a reason. Considering failure cannot be a choice.  It will cross your mind, but don’t let it.

I’ll admit, even after being in this program for the past three years, my mind quickly defaulted to throwing my bike off the path, turning around, and walking home.

But instead of doing that, there are three better ways to tackle adversity.

1. Take Time to Grieve.

I’ll admit, the news of my setback hit me hard. I’ve been working on this paper every weekend and spare evening since January with positive feedback. To unexpectedly hear those five months of work went down the toilet was shocking and upsetting. I needed a few days to grieve.

I sulked around for 48-hours (wrongly) blaming myself and others. I needed to gain some separation from the paper, be upset at my situation, and think about the future.

And at the end of my grieving period, I took the next weekend to be all in on my writing. But trust me, I needed those few days to process what happened and see my current situation clearly.

2. Acknowledge Unexpected Hardships Will Happen.

Honestly, this college program was going fairly easy up until this point. I lost sight of the fact that things always go wrong. One of Murphy’s Law of Combat states that “No plan survives the first contact intact.”

So why should we expect the bike path go straight to the finish line? When things go wrong, and they will, it’s best to acknowledge the situation, understand what happened, and do try to do better next time.

This setback helped remind me there will be more obstacles to come in the next six months. And that’s okay. As Dwight Schrute said from the office, “I am ready to face any challenge that might be foolish enough to face me.”

3. Celebrate the Small Wins.

John Kotter’s change model cites Step Six as “Celebrate the short-term wins.” Looking at the “Reality” bike path in the illustration, there are many obstacles ahead.

We can’t just celebrate at the end. We must find the victory in each step. If we don’t, those following us along with ourselves, will tend to lose heart by focusing on the next obstacle and not the one we just survived.

In my case, every review board I pass is a celebration. It’s one step closer to the goal.

They Are Watching You

Each person you lead is watching how you handle adversity. They see when you’re up or down, motivated or depressed, and leading or trailing. You set the tone during every interaction.

How you handle it will determine how your team deals with adversity both now and in the future.

Lead well and embrace the obstacles ahead.

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