There are many obstacles to change in your life. These hidden roadblocks can stop your progress and leave you stuck in a place you do not desire. If you let them, these obstacles can keep you from reaching your destination: the final stage of change. But if you educate yourself on the common obstacles you may encounter, you will be prepared to resist, go around, or push these roadblocks out of your way.
5 Obstacles to Change + How to Overcome Them
Denial
The first obstacle that prevents you from making permanent change in your life is denial. You are living in denial any time you believe that things will get better automatically. Problems never get better on their own. If you are consistently doing something wrong, you must first admit it and then fix it for things to get better. You will never be able to change a defeating behavior in your life if you keep pretending it does not exist.
We need to do something, not just talk about it! Do your actions line up with what you say you desire? If they don’t, it might be time to change your actions.
Temporary Fixes
The second obstacle to change is the alluring temporary fix, and worse, the destructive habits that often accompany such fixes. The United States is a microwave nation—we want quick fixes and instant gratification. We live for the moment and if that moment happens to be painful, we look for an escape.
The problem is that our reality is ever-present and demanding to be faced. These escapes may offer short-term comfort but will ultimately destroy your life. Negative patterns such as these will continually return you to a state of depression.
In order to overcome this obstacle to change, you need to first identify what temporary fixes you are allowing into your life. Then, you need to list out ways to face the change you are going through with courage.
The Comfort Zone
Remaining in your comfort zone is a third obstacle to change. A comfort zone is exactly what it sounds like: it’s an area of your life with which you are familiar and comfortable. When I go to a familiar restaurant, I like to sit at a certain table. I tell the hostess, “Table nine, please.” If my table is not available, I am pushed out of my comfort zone. Because I am a creature of habit, such a simple change can affect my whole dining experience.
If you have ever gone a day in a pair of pants that was a size too small for you, you know what it means to resist breaking out of your comfort zone. Talk about being uncomfortable! In that situation, there are only two choices—lose the weight or buy yourself a larger pair of pants. Do yourself a favor. Break through your comfort zone and make the changes you need to make in your life.
Fear of Commitment
Wanting change but not being willing to commit to the actions necessary to obtain change is another obstacle. Every change requires a corresponding action. Let’s revisit James 1:22:
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
You are deceiving yourself if you think you can get something for nothing. There is a price to pay for every change. Before you can harvest, you must first sow the seed. If you find yourself in the same place after twenty years, wondering why nothing has changed, you should know for certain that the problem lies with you. You have not paid the price or sown the right seed.
You need to be more specific about your commitment, and in order to be more specific, you may need to research specialized information. Relying on the specialized information you uncover, you can develop a strategy. This specific plan makes it much easier for you to follow through on your commitment. You have the strategy, now just exercise your will.
Fear of the Unknown
The fear of the unknown is another roadblock you will most likely encounter on your path to change. Remember, we do not resist change; we resist loss. The problem is, when we think of change, we’re not entirely sure what we may lose! We would rather stick with what we know than risk what we do not know.
What is on the other side of the sound barrier for you? It is worth finding out! Do not allow fear of the unknown to keep you from the thrilling adventure of personal transformation.
If you are facing any of these obstacles, make sure to implement the strategies to overcome them. When you are facing change, what obstacles do you tend to face? Let me know in the comments below!
