Every obstacle, challenge, trial, or tribulation serves one function: your growth.

I finally decided to quit a toxic job in summer of 2015, and I waited until I found my dream job before I made the jump. The interview process for the new position, essentially a life coach for teens, was intense. There were four parts, which included a group interview, homework assignments, mock coaching, and public speaking. I gave it everything I had, and I knew I nailed it. 

Two weeks later, on the day I was supposed to get the news about the decision, I heard nothing. I sent an email, no response. I called one of the interviewers, still nothing. One week after that, I learned I didn't get it. After a few days of self-doubt and depression, I pushed forward. I knew I wasn't going back to my old job, and I had no other prospects. Whenever we face an obstacle, we all experience the Fold or Fly moment. It's the moment of choice when we decide whether to give up or to rally. Those who see obstacles as opportunities for growth typically rally.

I quickly realized that I had an expansive personal and professional network, but had never learned how to leverage it for my career advancement. So, I chose to develop myself and began reaching out. Within one week, I  landed a position that was the equivalent of my dream job on steroids, impacting 10x more youth doing similar work, with more leadership upside. And, I gained a valuable social skill in the process. 

Often times we go to the "sunken place" (Yes this is a blatant Get Out reference) when we're faced with hardship. Our mental script is usually some variation of, "Woe is me! My life sucks! I'll never be happy!" Even if we know it won't last forever, we still become upset and feel disempowered. That's okay for a brief moment, then it's time to break through.

Shifting our mindset towards interpreting challenges as tools for our growth makes a whole new world of possibility available. Whereas before we might have felt stuck, we now feel effective, and, dare I say, privileged. This allows us to begin looking for new solutions and pathways to get what we want. Who knows, when we commit to this new shift, we might actually get more that originally expected.

Here are some questions to help you start the shift and create a breakthrough when you're faced with an obstacle or challenge in life:

1. How have I overcome challenges in the past?

2. Who do I admire that would get through this with no problem? What qualities could I borrow from them?

3. What am I missing or not seeing? How could I shift my perspective?

4. What resources can I tap to help me get through this?

5. How can I take responsibility and positivitely influence the outcome of this situation?