“I have a number of alternatives, and each one gives me something different.”

(Glenn Hoddle)

Last week I wrote about identifying and taking ownership of what you actually want is the first step to being able to do something about them.

This week I want to address the part that stops so many people from doing anything more than dreaming.
One of my vague early memories from school is a favourite story about going on an adventure and encountering various obstacles and finding ways around them. For example, when coming across a mountain the line, which we’d all end up chanting, was “can’t go over it, got to go round it.” Different obstacles meant different routes under, through and over.

The thing about obstacles in real life is that sometimes people get mesmerised by the obstacle and not notice any other routes around.

Sometimes it may seem that common knowledge would dictate that it is not possible to do something. History is full of people who would disprove common knowledge – that the world is not flat, that the earth rotates around the sun and that it is possible to run a 4 minute mile are just a few examples.

Brad Cohen knows that living with Tourette Syndrome can be a challenge. When he graduated he had 24 different interviews all saying no. He had to battle the perception that someone who made involuntary noises and twitches was not suitable to teach. Yet he did not quit and on interview number 25 one school felt that they should walk their own talk and give this skilled newly qualified teacher a job.

Mr Cohen went on to be awarded Georgia’s Sallie Mae First Year Teacher of the Year Award and has been a highly respected teacher for the last 14 years.

Perhaps you think that you are too old:

Hazel Soars left school in 1932, when the Great Depression followed by a “busy life” prevented her from carrying on to college. However, she says that she “never lost the desire.” She recently graduated with an art history honours at the age of 94. The great grandmother now plans to work as a museum guide.

Maybe it’s circumstances that are in your way.

At the age of 14 William Kamkwamba lived in a small Malawin village with no electricity. The school he attended was built for 450 and actually had over 1480 students, they had no chairs or tables, no electricity, air conditioning etc. It did however have a small library. Utilising scrap material Kamkwamba created a wind power generator to produce electricity modifying rough plans from one of the library books.

I share these tales not to belittle how you feel about these obstacles but invite you to consider that there may be alternative routes you can create. The three people I mention above could have easily dismissed their ideas as not being possible. That because of their condition, age or circumstances that it just wasn’t possible for them. They may not have followed a conventional route but they did find their own route.

This week I invite you to play with a couple of simple questions designed to help you find possible alternative routes around any obstacles.

These questions are much more powerful if you actually use them with something that you actually really want. (If you haven’t already you may want to play with last weeks exercise first.)

1. Pick something that you genuinely really would love and use that to complete the following questions:

2. What would have to happen to create …?

For example, what would have to happen to create a better relationship with my partner?

3. What needs to happen to create …?

For example, what needs to happen to create enough income to go on holiday to Australia?

Have a week spotting alternative routes

Love

Jen

This was originally posted on www.YourChangingDirection.com