Step 1.5: Obstacles
Adam Alter is a Professor of Marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business. In his research into the regrets of the dying, he found that one of the biggest was “...not living the life they wanted to lead, but the life that others chose for them.”
What are the obstacles standing in your way?
What are the barriers between you and your dreams? What’s stopping you from achieving greatness?
Let's talk about what's really stopping you. After coaching hundreds of leaders, I repeatedly see two types of obstacles:
Real stuff: Money. Bills don't pay themselves. Corporate hierarchies that move slower than my grandmother's dial-up internet.
Then there's the fake stuff living rent-free in your head: What will Mom & Dad think? What if I fail? What if I'm not good enough? How will I look to my friends? Shouldn’t I be further along by now?
Here's the truth: Those imaginary obstacles? They're costing you more than your mortgage ever will. While you're playing it safe, someone else is taking your spot.
The market rewards action, not your therapy sessions about imposter syndrome.
Want greatness? Financial obligations are concrete and need careful planning to overcome. But the imagined obstacles—those are the real killers. They keep you in a holding pattern, stopping you from taking the risks that lead to big rewards.
Greatness is on the other side of these obstacles. Stop hiding behind excuses. It’s time to break through.
Your Playbook:
What’s really standing in my way? Is it a genuine obstacle, or is it something I’ve built up in my mind?
What are the real obstacles? (list them)
What are the imagined obstacles? (list them)