If achieving goals were easy, everyone would do it quickly and without difficulty. Even if your vision is clear and you can articulate a detailed destiny, there are always obstacles in the path.

It is the joy and journey of clearing those obstacles that makes life rich, and helps people feel truly accomplished when they finally reach their pinnacle of success.

Energetic obstacles give you the feeling of being depleted or exhausted all the time. They show up as day-to-day choices that you are making in your life that lead to an imbalance in energy output versus energy input.

Spending 75% of your time working and leaving very little energy to put toward healthy nutrition, exercise, or down time will result in lethargy, complacency, or total burnout.

Mental obstacles revolve around a lack of goals, motivation, or focus. If you do not have a goal, you do not have any direction.

It is impossible to get to where you are going if you have no idea where it is you want to be.

Motivation requires a level of passion in order to sustain forward movement toward the goal. If there is no motivation, mental obstacles will show up in the form of resistance and excuses.

An inability to stay focused on the end result can be a huge obstacle. Chasing squirrels in your mind is a common theme for many people as we live in a World where multi-tasking has become glorified.

When you are scattered and not able to maintain your focus, you start to spin out and are easily thrown into overwhelm.

Emotional obstacles show up most frequently in the form of daily stress, irritation toward other people, limiting beliefs about your own self-worth.

Thoughts around your inability to accomplish certain things, and negative emotions based on past experiences.

Not taking enough time to become present to Love, joy, gratitude, and happiness in your daily life may leave you feeling as though life itself is the obstacle.

Physical obstacles show up as a lack of time or money, behavior patterns, and physiological responses.

If you struggle with managing your time effectively, you will have difficulty getting things done in an efficient manner … if at all.

If you are not in a financial bracket that supports your needs and goals, this will show up as a very real challenge for you.

Sudden illness and injury experienced in the physical body are obstacles that can temporarily throw you off course. If you are not quick to heal, mentally or physically, it may derail you for months or even years.

Obstacles are the opportunities that have been put on your path to challenge you to move beyond your perceived limitations.

Identifying them is just the first step in creating lasting change in your life. The follow-through and taking action to overcome them is where the real gold is.