Overcoming Roadblocks to Action

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Roadblocks are the things that prevent you from either starting or finishing a new project. The most prevalent roadblock consists of limiting beliefs that are hidden away in your subconscious mind. This problem has already been discussed in previous posts. Therefore, this post will describe other common roadblocks and give you tips on how to overcome them.

Habit of procrastination — if you are in good physical condition I believe the main reason for putting off a project is a fear of ridicule. You may have performed other projects in the past that people have criticized. So in order to avoid being criticized or ridiculed in the future you simply don’t start on a new project. You may have some excuse but it may not be the real issue.

To overcome this habit, you may need to first overcome irrational fear (see below) and then develop a driving force (see below). In this way you will be able to take on those difficult projects and not worry about being criticized.

Irrational fear — everyone needs a certain amount of fear to control their behavior. This normal fear serves to keep people out of danger and conform to the social norms. However, some people have developed excessive fear. I call this irrational fear because there is no rational reason for it. This probably is a carryover from all the warnings that people receive when they are growing up.

The solution is to reduce irrational fear to a reasonable level. To conquer irrational fear, you could do a visualization that shows you exhibiting courage and action in the face of presumed danger. However in real life you should not allow yourself to get into dangerous situations. This is a case where a normal amount of fear should control your behavior.

Lack of driving force — during childhood people develop certain behaviors that they may keep repeating their entire life. This lack of a driving force may have been a way to deal with your childhood circumstances. As an adult this lack may keep you from achieving your goals in life.

You can use either affirmations or a visualization to develop a driving force. This will allow you to take on new projects, learn from trial and error, and develop self-confidence from actual results.

Lack of needed information — sometimes you may not know what to do in order to get something done. We are fortunate in this modern age to have libraries, inexpensive guidebooks, and the Internet.

You can use the above sources to find almost any information that you need. These sources can save you time and provide ways to avoid problems. If you do run into problems in a new project you may be able to find solutions with these sources.

Lack of needed resources — resources are things like cash, equipment, supplies, tools, office space, storage space, and so on. This lack can keep you from starting a new project or even beginning your own small business.

I believe there is always a way to obtain the resources that you need. You just have to be creative and perhaps do the unexpected. You can use bootstrap methods to reduce or eliminate the need for cash. Instead of buying equipment and tools perhaps you could borrow or rent them. You might be able to set aside space in your home for an office. You might share space in an existing office for referrals or a share of your profits.

Lack of needed skills — learning new skills is often a lifelong pursuit. Thus, the lack of needed skills doesn’t have to be a roadblock.

There are many ways to gain new skills. The best way probably is to first get information about the new activity. And then you can put this information to use by performing the needed mental or physical actions. You might want to work for someone with little or no pay just to learn the needed skills.