Let’s be real and raw. Life can be really hard. It can feel complicated. Things that happen within and around us can affect our mood, our sense of fulfillment, and even our ability to survive. We know instinctively and from quickly glancing around that EVERYONE deals with roadblocks and setbacks. People all over the world feel STUCK and often like they’re going BACKWARDS. It’s normal. It’s common. It’s life. But there is a better way to live than just being tossed around back and forth.

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Becoming an Overcomer of Life’s Roadblocks and Setbacks

We can enact change. We can bounce back up when we fall. And we can live intentionally.

In the hard moments, it’s not easy to become an overcomer.

It’s not even easy to pretend to be one!

We are physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual beings which means the way we think or feel or act is influenced by all four of those aspects.

If you don’t know any overcomers in your life, here’s what they look like:

• They are convinced things can be improved
• They see roadblocks and setbacks as temporary and situational
• They pursue others instead of isolation
• They are self-learners
• They take responsibility
• They engage the world how it is, not how it “should” be
• They ask for help
• They test their limits to better understand their unique makeup
• They are relentless in their pursuits

Does that list describe you?

If it doesn’t, take heart. It can. You can become an overcomer and it all starts with a paradigm shift of how you relate to roadblocks and setbacks.

What is a Roadblock Anyways?

Roadblocks are everywhere and as a Professional Engineer, I can personally tell you they SUCK!

In life, roadblocks can be anything that stands between you and what’s good for you.

Did you catch that?

Most people won’t on the first read.

Roadblocks are ONLY things that stand between YOU and what is GOOD for you.

Roadblocks are NOT things that protect you.

Roadblocks are NOT being denied a job that would have destroyed you or your family.

Roadblocks are NOT health diagnosis that level up your compassion for others and amplify your message to a dying world.

Roadblocks are NOT people who love you and stop you from going down foolish paths.

Here’s what life’s roadblocks really are:

• Self-limiting beliefs
• A refusal to accept the world as it is
• Laziness
• Lack of clarity to know what direction you should take
• Fear of what others may think
• Finding identity in people, things, or occupation
• Unhealthy relationships
• Current addictions

We can design around roadblocks. We can eliminate roadblocks. Some will take time and others can be annihilated with a fury you’ve been restraining for too long.

Now unlike roadblocks, setbacks are a different animal entirely.

The Curious thing Called a Setback

Setbacks are curious.

They’re intriguing.

They’re powerful.

But not in the way you may think.

Setbacks are typically caused by something we view as bad or wrong but can be become a cause for something great.

Setbacks can be accidental, regardless of “knowing what we’re doing.”

Setbacks can be permanent, at least without miraculous intervention.

Setbacks can be caused by ourselves or others.

Here are some examples of what a setback looks like:

• Loss due to past addiction (Notice how current addictions are considered roadblocks above? Until we end the addiction, it will always “be in our way”. Once it is in our past, we can leverage it for the good of ourselves and others.)
• Falling on hard times financially (due to internal or external factors)
• Injury or health condition that changes how we can engage the world
• Loss of opportunity (inability to travel for work, being passed over, eggs in the wrong basket)
• A hurt or habit that becomes a hang up (see Celebrate Recovery)
• Feeling like we are in a position that feels “less than” where we could be in life

Roadblocks and setbacks are different words for a reason.

While roadblocks are “in our way”, setbacks have “moved us” somewhere else.

The best thing we can do is make sure a roadblock doesn’t become a setback.

But what are we to do when we face roadblocks and setbacks in life since they’re guaranteed to affect everyone?

Get Intentional

Intentional living is like a best friend. A really, really good best friend.

It’s incredible how some people just float through life, wondering how and why things seem to happen to them, around them, and through them without ever taking responsibility for those things.

Life is not an accident and the world is not one big string of consequences.

There is a direct relationship between how intentional we are and what we experience in this life.

And make no mistake, intentional living isn’t just for those people.

It’s for you.

It’s for me.

By being intentional in our decisions and actions, we can literally get what we want or at the very least improve things significantly.

If being intentional doesn’t come naturally to you, here’s what it looks like:

• Planning your next move like a game of chess
• Seeking council, advice, and wisdom from others
• Pausing to think instead of rushing forward on instinct
• Spending time wondering about cause and effect
• Taking responsibility and considering what could have been done differently
• Weighing options for short, medium, and long term results
• Thinking of others
• Making a plan
• Testing yourself to know your strengths and weaknesses

Intentional living can be leveraged to find ways past a roadblock and out of a setback. By being intentional, we can become overcomers and engage our world in powerful ways.

If this content spoke to you, consider doing these 3 things:

1. Leave a comment below and tell me if your dealing with a roadblock or setback and what you’re doing about it. If you’re an overcomer, tell me what helps you maintain a growth mindset.
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