The Miracle of Obstacles

This morning on a walk I noticed something that stopped me in my tracks.

Here’s the picture:

Did you see it? Maybe let’s try from a different angle.

Okay, Okay let me explain.

What you’re looking at is a grounded cable that is supporting and stabilizing an adjacent phone pole (out of the picture). You probably drive by hundreds of these every single day. But do you see the little plant sprouting out of the yellow protective cover?

That’s what caught my attention. And to tell you why, lets backtrack a bit.

This plant started off just like every other one you see in the picture. Emerging from the ground, spreading its leaves, and reaching for the sun. But then, everything changed. Somehow it got stuck in the yellow tube. Sunlight… which used to be everywhere… now only came from a distant point at the end of the tunnel. What a disaster!

I don’t know if plants have existential thoughts, (if so, I apologize to every houseplant I’ve ever killed) but at this moment this little plant had two choices: give up OR continue upwards.

Gratefully for you and me, this plant did what plants do best: it pushed towards the light. Digging deeper with its roots for nutrients, and stretching further and higher, it worked (mostly in the dark) for that distant light. After what seemed like forever (in “plant time” at least), the plant made it! Reaching the top, it could FINALLY soak in all the sun it wanted!

But where were the other plants? While this plant had been stretching and reaching in the dark, the other plants were right where they had started.

Nothing changed, and they hadn’t grown very much.

The yellow tube… though at first a disaster… forced the plant to grow (quite literally) to a higher level.

What does this have to do with success and influence?

Have you ever felt like this little plant? Life was great, everything was going normal until… WHAM… you found yourself in a yellow tube. Some obstacle, some challenge… changed everything and now the only hope was at the end of a long tunnel. What a disaster!

In this moment, you could have given up. You could have just stayed put. But gratefully for you and me, you decided to push forward. Digging deeper with your own roots for nutrients, and digging deep within yourself for hidden reserves of strength…

You pushed.

And stretched.

And pulled.

And reached.

And grew (mostly in the dark)…

For what seemed like forever.

But then, one day, you made it! You felt the sun, and spread your own leaves feeling its warmth once again. But as you looked around… everything looked a bit different. As you were reaching and pulling through your own yellow tube, a lot of people had stayed right where they had started.

Nothing had changed, and they hadn’t grown very much.

Your obstacle… though at first a disaster… forced YOU to grow (quite literally) to a higher level.

Which is what obstacles do.

I often tell my clients that, “A mile of direction prevents ten miles of distraction.” Obstacles have a unique ability to provide instant clarity on what (and who) in our lives matters most. In these moments, we realize so much of life is just “distractions” masquerading as essentials and in the ensuing weeks, months, and even years, we succeed by building a life of greater clarity, focus, and intention.

And the best part is, we get to help others do the same.

This morning, as I was crouched on my hands and knees taking in the story of the little plant, I looked pretty strange. In fact, someone else walked by and asked what I was doing. I chuckled, pointed, and shared my thoughts as they also bent down to admire the persistence of the plant. Its story now became their story, and hopefully inspired them as it did me.

• Have you ever been moved and influenced by someone enduring a struggle?
• How has an obstacle molded you into a better person?
• Most importantly, who in your life is currently in their own yellow tube, and how can you be a support for them as they reach for the other side?

Whatever you are facing, keep pushing.

Keep stretching.

Keep pulling.

Keep reaching.

Keep growing.

The sunlight is calling.

• Christian

CHRISTIAN HANSEN has gone behind the scenes in some of the biggest organizations in the world to find out the reasons why some people get chosen and why others don’t. As the #1 bestselling and LinkedIn Top Ten ranked author of “The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You” Christian helps teams and organizations who want increase their earning potential by standing out from the crowd and influencing people to choose them. With degrees from Brigham Young University and The London School of Economics, he’s helped thousands of individuals position and sell themselves. A fan of international communication, history, and choral music, he currently lives in Utah with his wife. Reach him at: TheChristianHansen.com