THE NATURE OF CHALLENGES

Let’s continue from where we ended the last time. Please look to your right for previous posts. It is the goal of this post to change how you perceive challenges in your life. We at Noeses believe that at the end of this post you will be enlightened.

The Gap 

It is true that anything is possible but it is also very true that there is a painful gap between the human potential and the achievement of greatness. Within that gap are so many things that we need to confront. Occupying that gap is the painful reality of the plans we need to make, the actions we need to take, the people we need to deal with, the things we need to forgo, the patience we need to exercise and the list goes on and on. It is your perspective of this gap and what you do in this gap that makes the difference between great achievement and mediocrity. Whatever occupies that gap can be termed in our context as “The challenge Effect”.

Challenges are Woven into the Fabric of Life
Anyone who is involved in any endeavor experiences some form of challenge. Doctors experience challenges, Teachers experience challenges, Businessmen experience challenges, Motivational Speakers experience challenges, Married Couples experience challenges and even Pastors and other spiritual leaders experience challenges. Challenges are not made for a selected few.

In our quest to succeed, we identify or create opportunities and harness these opportunities to make that success possible. In harnessing these opportunities, we set goals, make plans and for that matter create the blue print of our desired destinations. The goals and the plans are supposed to make the journey more defined but not necessarily easy. This is because on our way, we encounter roadblocks that may threaten the safe arrival to our destinations.Challenges are part of the journey; they are there for a reason. Normally, just behind the roadblocks we experience are the things that we desire. It is rather unfortunate that, just when success is around the corner, we give up.

Challenges are daily life experiences we must accept in good fate. They are experiences we must welcome in our lives. A challenge, to some extent, is just like failure. Failure, which is a state of not achieving a desired objective, occurs because the individual is experiencing one challenge or the other.

There is no one I have heard of who embarked on any endeavor and succeeded without failing or experiencing challenges. However, mention can be made of several people who succeeded by failing if not once, twice or several times. If you are not experiencing challenges, then you are probably heading in the wrong direction or settling for less than you deserve. The concept of challenges can be summed up into this simple principle: where there is opportunity to succeed, challenges are present.

The Relationship between Challenges and Success
Sometimes we wonder why some people experience more success than others. The reason is simple; those who experience more success are willing to endure more challenges. For example, the amount of training required to run 1000 meters is probably more than the training required to run 200 meters. Likewise, the challenges you face in managing a billion dollar business far exceed the ones you face when managing a 300 million dollar business even though they may be alike. It is simple, if you want more success, you must be prepared to pay a higher price. If you take a closer look you will realize that successful people face bigger challenges than unsuccessful people. Some of the reasons for this are as follows:

• Successful people keep dreaming
• Successful people keep doing
• Successful people have the urge to grow and be ahead.

We must understand that there is something absolutely phenomenal about challenges. It all comes down to the fact that the knowledge of the power of challenges is key if any individual will achieve true success.

To win big, you sometimes need to take big risks-Bill Gates

There is therefore, a positive correlation between challenges and success. This means that the higher the opportunity to succeed, the higher the challenges we face.

Challenges are the Building Blocks For Change
Often in our lives, we seek improvements in our finances, our health, our jobs or businesses, our marriages, and other parts of our lives. Whenever we want improvements in our situations, what we are actually seeking is change. Why then do we detest change? Well, that’s the irony of life; people want to be ahead and be successful but they are not willing to change. We hate change, we resist change, we try to dodge change, but that is what we actually seek.

We resist change because it comes with events that we are not used to and also because, we need to go the extra mile to consolidate ourselves in it. No wonder our Grandparents find it difficult to use computers and smartphones. This is however not abnormal, it is actually part of the change process. Remember that it doesn't change you if it doesn't challenge you. We resist change because it is a challenge. I believe at this juncture you can imagine the space that challenges occupy in our lives. Challenges go to very root of the successful performance of every human endeavor. Since you cannot polish a shoe without friction, then you cannot be seasoned without passing through a tough situation.

Change should not be resisted. According to Carl Jung, a highly read Psychologist; what you resist persists. In order for you to enjoy change, you need to accept it. If you do not accept it, it will come anyway.

Change should not be resisted; it should be endured because change is a challenge.

Challenges Ensure Balance
We live in a universe where everything needs balance. There must be balance for everything to flow. There must be balance to ensure that things work out perfectly as the universe wants it. That is why for life there is death, for happiness there is sadness, for laughter there is frown, for light there is darkness, for heaven there is earth, for male there is female, for success there is failure, what goes up must come down, we move into season and we move out of season and many more. Challenges also constitute that balance. Where there is an opportunity to succeed, there are obstacles. Where there is a way, there is probably a roadblock. In fact, it is important to know that where there is a solution, there are challenges. This is called “The Law of Rhythm”.

Our strength is really seen in hard times. No wonder the most inspirational success stories are the ones packed with tough times.

If there is something exceptional about challenges then you may be wondering what challenges do to you. Don’t worry at all because we haven’t lost sight of that. For now I would like you to know that after you pass through a challenge, you grow- later we shall delve into the aftermath of challenges. Stay put, be expectant and make a date with Noeses next time.

Picture source: http://www.coloadvisor.com/blog/top-15-cio-challenges-2014/