I was looking at this photo and thinking how easy it is to become focused on the obstacles and lose view of the path or goals that lie beyond.
Many, many years ago I did cross-country motorcycle racing which required riding at great speed on trails that had more then their share of obstacles. There’s a couple of life lessons I took away from that experience.
- Never focus on the obstacle because where you look is where you go. While riding if there was a deep rut on one side of the trail the surest way to slide into it was to stare at it. You had to keep rut in you periphery vision but focus on the best path.
- The winner of the race often comes down to the one who handles obstacles best. At some time everyone goes into the rut, into the mud or gets stalled on the steep hillside. It’s how you react once there that decides if you have a chance to finish well or not.
I now strive to keep these lessons in mind as I come across obstacles in my daily life.
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A fine forest scene to accompany your insightful comment. Nice post!
Excellent lessons and we can never be reminded too often. Thanks.
An interesting photograph to represent this post Earl. The fallen trees here represent that graphically – large visual obstacles that our eyes find it difficult to get past. It is also that the visual tension the trees cause is probably very similar to the tension we feel with so many other obstacles we come across.
Good reminder that sometimes it is necessary to just jump over.
@Mark: I ‘d related to Anita in a comment on an earlier post that sometimes the photo comes first and then the idea for the post is born. This was certainly the case here.
@Don: Thank you!
@Anita: Oh, I’m such a slow learner sometimes I still need to be constantly reminded.
I have a shirt with the saying, “The destiny is the journey.” We will always encounter obstacles so the question is how do we handle them (number 2). I agree with you and a great way for me to start my Saturday. Thanks, and have a super day!