So my last two long runs have been accompanied by Ryan Holiday narrating his audio book The Obstacle Is The Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph. I truly love listening to audio books when I am going for a long easy run because running is my “me” time. It’s a time for me to have quiet thinking time, to solve problems I’ve been mulling over, or to just reflect. While listening to this book one of the ideas that resonated with me the most is that how you view an obstacle is what determines whether it is an obstacle that stops you or an event to catapult you into something even greater.
I have certainly had many obstacles in my life, most of them mundane, day to day obstacles, but some much more life impacting. As I was listening to Ryan talk of examples of how people took an obstacle and allowed it to propel them into a greater place they would have never discovered, my initial thought was that while these examples were true, they were highly improbable within normal society. However, the more I mulled over these ideas and people I thought about a major trial in my life that completely changed the course of my life. I’d like to share this story with you in an effort to show that perspective and mindset can change everything.
As a 21 year old college graduate, I felt lucky to have gotten a great teaching job at a fantastic school in the middle of the school year. While I knew I was a good teacher, it was a difficult position to find because I opted to finish my time at Auburn University in December, limiting my job prospects significantly as most schools aren’t looking to hire teachers in January. However, through my dedication to submitting job applications, attending job interviews at schools much farther than my ideal location, and persistent follow up, I was able to land a job at an amazing school. Many of you may look at this situation and think, that this was the major obstacle I overcame – finding a great teaching job, in my area, in the middle of the school year – but, no. I saw this as a payoff to my work ethic and desire to be successful. The obstacle came two and half years later when the school district I was working for needed to budget adjustments and my job was one that was no longer in the budget.
I was living on my own, paying my own bills, and making ends meet with a measly two year old teacher salary. I was DEVESTATED and TERRIFIED when I was told that I was not being offered a contract for the next year. Not only was I worried about paying my own bills, I knew that if my school was cutting teachers then I wouldn’t be able to get hired anywhere else in the county. After taking an afternoon to feel sorry for myself and allow people to tell me it would be okay, I picked myself up and asked myself, “Well, what are you going to do about it?”
This was the start of a whole new beginning for my life that I never, ever, in a million years would have ever dreamed of! With the same work ethic that I put into my initial job search after graduation I began looking for my next job. However, the job that changed my life was one that found me!! I was offered an opportunity to interview at an amazing private school, free of standardized testing and other federal mandates that take away from actual learning. I met my now mentor and learned so much about myself as a teacher, as a student, and as a colleague. As my now husband and I decided to embark on a new chapter in our lives and move to a new city, this position served as a stepping stone to an even BETTER position that allows me to continue growing, learning, and loving teaching!
My point in sharing this story with you is that my obstacle was terrifying to me. Had I kept my “feel sorry for me” attitude and moped around waiting for someone to help me, I would never had found the path that I have now followed. Yes, I probably would have found another job somewhere. In fact, the same school called and offered me my position back at the end of July but I was able to politely turn them down as I had already accepted another position. But if I had returned to the same school district, running the same risk of being let go again, I would have never found peace or flourished in my profession.
I challenge you to identify that obstacle in your life right now, that if you were to look at it with a different mindset, from a different angle it could be the slingshot that propels you in a totally new, exciting direction. Right now my obstacle is building my Beachbody team. I have a deep love for this company, know what amazing things the products can do for people’s health and what earthshattering changes the company can do for coaches’ lives. My passion is to not only spread this knowledge but to teach other coaches how to reap the benefits of this wonderful company. Right now I am looking for those people who are ready to take a leap of faith, listen to directions, and prepare themselves for a physical, financial and soul makeover! No, I am not the best leader (yet!). No, I am not in perfect physical shape (or ever will be!). But, YES, I am a good teacher! I can teach YOU how to set unbelievable goals and watch them get achieved one by one.
If you are interested in learning more about joining Team Titanium and how this company can change your life, please fill out the Coach Application Form below and I’ll be in touch with you J
I have certainly had many obstacles in my life, most of them mundane, day to day obstacles, but some much more life impacting. As I was listening to Ryan talk of examples of how people took an obstacle and allowed it to propel them into a greater place they would have never discovered, my initial thought was that while these examples were true, they were highly improbable within normal society. However, the more I mulled over these ideas and people I thought about a major trial in my life that completely changed the course of my life. I’d like to share this story with you in an effort to show that perspective and mindset can change everything.
As a 21 year old college graduate, I felt lucky to have gotten a great teaching job at a fantastic school in the middle of the school year. While I knew I was a good teacher, it was a difficult position to find because I opted to finish my time at Auburn University in December, limiting my job prospects significantly as most schools aren’t looking to hire teachers in January. However, through my dedication to submitting job applications, attending job interviews at schools much farther than my ideal location, and persistent follow up, I was able to land a job at an amazing school. Many of you may look at this situation and think, that this was the major obstacle I overcame – finding a great teaching job, in my area, in the middle of the school year – but, no. I saw this as a payoff to my work ethic and desire to be successful. The obstacle came two and half years later when the school district I was working for needed to budget adjustments and my job was one that was no longer in the budget.
I was living on my own, paying my own bills, and making ends meet with a measly two year old teacher salary. I was DEVESTATED and TERRIFIED when I was told that I was not being offered a contract for the next year. Not only was I worried about paying my own bills, I knew that if my school was cutting teachers then I wouldn’t be able to get hired anywhere else in the county. After taking an afternoon to feel sorry for myself and allow people to tell me it would be okay, I picked myself up and asked myself, “Well, what are you going to do about it?”
This was the start of a whole new beginning for my life that I never, ever, in a million years would have ever dreamed of! With the same work ethic that I put into my initial job search after graduation I began looking for my next job. However, the job that changed my life was one that found me!! I was offered an opportunity to interview at an amazing private school, free of standardized testing and other federal mandates that take away from actual learning. I met my now mentor and learned so much about myself as a teacher, as a student, and as a colleague. As my now husband and I decided to embark on a new chapter in our lives and move to a new city, this position served as a stepping stone to an even BETTER position that allows me to continue growing, learning, and loving teaching!
My point in sharing this story with you is that my obstacle was terrifying to me. Had I kept my “feel sorry for me” attitude and moped around waiting for someone to help me, I would never had found the path that I have now followed. Yes, I probably would have found another job somewhere. In fact, the same school called and offered me my position back at the end of July but I was able to politely turn them down as I had already accepted another position. But if I had returned to the same school district, running the same risk of being let go again, I would have never found peace or flourished in my profession.
I challenge you to identify that obstacle in your life right now, that if you were to look at it with a different mindset, from a different angle it could be the slingshot that propels you in a totally new, exciting direction. Right now my obstacle is building my Beachbody team. I have a deep love for this company, know what amazing things the products can do for people’s health and what earthshattering changes the company can do for coaches’ lives. My passion is to not only spread this knowledge but to teach other coaches how to reap the benefits of this wonderful company. Right now I am looking for those people who are ready to take a leap of faith, listen to directions, and prepare themselves for a physical, financial and soul makeover! No, I am not the best leader (yet!). No, I am not in perfect physical shape (or ever will be!). But, YES, I am a good teacher! I can teach YOU how to set unbelievable goals and watch them get achieved one by one.
If you are interested in learning more about joining Team Titanium and how this company can change your life, please fill out the Coach Application Form below and I’ll be in touch with you J