Getting you out of your way

This past weekend was Super Bowl weekend and I was lucky enough to spend it with my family. I am truly blessed to have the parents, sisters, nieces and nephews that I have.

But, something occurred during a Super Bowl commercial that surprised me. It was an innocuous commercial that you may have even missed (if you watched the game.) During the nation's most-watched TV event, football fans had the chance to win a one-of-a-kind Super Bowl Edition Pepsi can and tickets to the biggest game of the year -- for life. The winning code was broadcast immediately following the Pepsi Halftime Show of Super Bowl XLI on February 4. The lucky fan with the winning code was awarded the commemorative Pepsi Super Bowl can and two Super Bowl tickets for life. To me that sounded kind of cool (except I didn't know about it until it was too late.)

In my mind, I was thinking about all of the cool places that would take me to and all the people that I would get to meet. I even thought about how much money I could sell a few of them for during the year or two I didn't want to go.

Then, I listened to the response from my sister and my nephew. It was very different from what I was thinking. My sister said something like, "That would be nice, but who could afford to get there?" Then my nephew said, "I'd just sell them on Ebay."

How interesting... How many times do we write something off as unachievable, unaccomplishable, impossible before we even look into it? So many times, we are the only ones getting in the way of our success. I mean did my sister and nephew truly believe that if they won that prize they wouldn't be able to find a way to get to use the tickets? Airfare and hotel rooms don't cost that much especially when you consider the incredible experience of attending a Super Bowl. Besides, they aren't poor and had the money to buy the 60+ inch HDTV screen on which we were watching the game.

Do you ever do that? Do you ever talk yourself out of something before you even give it a chance? I know I do. I talk myself out of exercising, out of calling on folks for my business, etc. But why? Do I think that I'll fail or fall short of expectations?

Today, take a look at what is holding you back from accomplishing your dreams and goals. What is keeping you from what you aspire to become?

Often the answer is simply, you. You get in your own way. Try something new. Try looking past your obstacles and striving for a solution. You probably do that for your boss, right? So many times we make mountains out of molehills and allow the molehill to keep us from engaging our minds to come up with the solutions.

Today, be on the lookout for possibilities! Sure the problems may appear and you can choose to focus on those if you'd like. I think, however, that you'll enjoy the day much more if you decide to look at all of the potential, prospects and promise that it brings.