An Obstacle Course Mindset To Shine Under Pressure

Welcome to October.

As I write this we've just gone through two eclipses, a second moon is set to orbit, we're hoping to dodge a colossal asteroid while watching hurricanes take out whole cities, American's favorite icons and celebrities are being exposed as creeps, and pedophiles, WWIII keeps knocking at the door, the world seems to be on fire and we're headed into one of the wildest elections in American history- and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

We knew this year would be a wild one, personally and collectively, and here we are Game Changers. We're rounding the corner and sliding into the last months of 2024. We started with a Mantra, we asked some big questions and now it's time to shine under pressure.

The Obstacle Course Mindset

I had a client whose business faced a make-it-or-break-it season every year. This was a busy, anxiety-ridden, and traumatic time of the year, every year, without fail. Now, in his defense, he (like most people) was not just running a business. He had a family. He had a past. He had a childhood full of neglect and abuse, old wounds of lack, and hidden parts of himself that suffered silently even though on the outside all looked well- glamorous even. To the outside world, he looked like a strong, calm leader- a creative type with interesting ideas, cooly executing them in the world with a dash of adventure and fun.

And yet, each year this busy season would descend upon him and he'd go through internal hell and feel like he was fighting for his life on the inside. He hated it. As it approached again this year, he saw it coming. He knew what lay ahead. He squared up before it came, got on a call with me, and faced it. He faced all the fear and darkness inside himself that he felt might arise in this season. He went to the bottom, pre-emptively and we faced it all together. It was heavy. But he did what he needed to do to prepare for the obstacle course ahead.

See most of us know what's coming to a degree- we get our butts kicked by the same routine, or the same people, or the same inner loop when it plays. An obstacle course mindset is when we:

• pay enough attention to what's tripping us up over and over
• we begin to remove ourselves a bit and learn to see it as an actual obstacle course
• and we prepare for it

For example, we know the kids are going to scream, and then we're going to be late and then we're going to be stressed for that meeting and then we're going to snap at so-and-so.

Or, we know that when that certain day comes around we're going to get triggered and spin out and want to do XYZ.

We know that we're avoiding our leadership with our family or our team in this one area and every time it comes around we procrastinate or shut down and then it doesn't get done and we feel like crap and the cycle gets stronger.

Obstable course thinking moves out of the impossibility of the situation, and into the expectation that, like an obstacle course, things are going to get thrown at us, they're going to try and knock us down, and we if we're not prepared we're going to get thrown into water and be fighting for our metaphusical lives.

Obstable course thinking prepares. It's ready. It's not going to let it come as a surprise. And while this may not mean a perfect performance moving through it, it does mean the performance improves.

My client prepared in a deep way for this obstacle course. He took something that used to cripple him internally and was able to walk through it this time in his power, in confidence and it was a slam dunk season for him. He overcame years of deep anxiety, panic attacks and crippling fear. It wasn't just about business, it was about overcoming deep wounds, stories and subconscious programming. He faced his obstable course and he was ready- he did the bob, weave, duck, roll and then stood up, unharmed and victorious.

We Live Two Lives

This planet is not easy. No one is promised easy. The facade of 'easy ' slows us down. It disempowers us. Especially when the obstacle courses are out there, waiting.

Easy tricks us into living half a life.

We actually live two lives.

Our first and truest life: the inner world

To those awake on the inside, the inner world is literally like living in another realm sometimes. The spiritual is real, the metaphysical is ever-present, the mind, the soul, the inner images, are theatrical on a universal level. God Himself resides in the inner realm.

This is where we gather the courage to face down our greatest fears, where we finally find rest and peace when all else has failed, this is where we experience love, healing, hope and beauty. This is where we discover the truth of who we are, this is where our genius is born, and this is the world in which intuition saves us and truth guides us home. It starts and ends in mysteries of the underappreciated and under-developed inner world.

Our second 'real' life: the outer world

The second world is the outer world. The outer world likes to throw us our greatest curve balls in the obstacle courses; impending doom on the news, financial issues in business, turbulence within our families, and constant pressures, needs, and desires are elicited by the outer world. The outer world is special because it is three-dimensional, we can experience it with our senses. It feels like the 'real' world.

But allow me to cut to the chase- let's skip over the philosophical, theological, and metaphysical case that will simply lead us to this: the outer world is far from real. What we've come to call 'reality' or 'normal life' is far from it. We live in a Big Lie.

This Big Lie is like an obstacle course. Once you recognize it for what it is, you get prepared, you stop getting your ass kicked by it and you learn how to bob, weave, duck, roll, and then stand up, unharmed and victorious.

To do this well, you need your inner world activated and on board. You need to sweep out the dark corners, turn some lights on, get organized in there, and get it revved up to support you through the obstacle course. That's what it does best. It works miracles when we learn how to develop it.

So What Do We Do Now?

"The darker the times, the easier it is to shine"

The outer world desperately needs us to activate our inner worlds.

On a collective scale, we're in for a bumpy ride.

On an individual scale, this may or may not affect you personally.

Either way, the plan is basically the same: get an obstacle course mindset, be prepared, and do the inner work to support the pressure of the outer world.

Whether it's leading a team in business, nurturing a family at home, or working hard at your craft in the world; the plan is the same right now. No amount of fear-mongering, crisis, or disaster excuses us from the work. If anything, it's an incredible opportunity to shine. No special (metaphorical) ninja-moves necessary. If you can show up at your business, in your family, and at your craft as someone who is prepared, mentally and emotionally, as someone ready for the obstacle course- then you're ready to shine in a difficult time.

These are the days in which Game Changers are made.

"There's a version of you who's worried. You listen to that version, mainly due to habit.

There's another version of you, who knows exactly where you're headed, isn't worried, and has faith. Strengthen your relationship with that version of you.

Keep going."

Jeff Moore

Game Changers, Unite!

If you're looking for like-minded colleagues, support with obstacle course thinking, strategies for difficult times, or ways to accelerate your inner world development then be on the lookout for new group registration opening soon. Group prep starts in the last quarter of 2024 so we're ready to hit the ground running in 2025.

Groups are by far the most powerful work to be a part of, if you haven't joined us before, consider 2025 your year to join the Game Changers.