5 Tips for Overcoming Obstacles – My Marathon

My life is full, and I am thankful for all of my blessings. I was lucky enough to meet my beautiful wife, and we have two amazing daughters. I am stronger and healthier than ever. I can run further than I ever thought possible. I ran my first marathon this past January at the age of 40. It is funny how we change because I never ran more than a few miles and that was in high school. In 2012, I started running to lose weight and stay healthy. There were numerous obstacles that I faced before completing my first marathon, but these obstacles were no different than others I had faced before.

Overcoming obstacles builds character and leads to more memorable achievements. Obstacles are usually a result of taking risks—the higher the risks, the tougher the obstacles. But, risks are opportunities for success. Of course, there are certain risks that aren’t worth taking (and that’s a subject for a future blog).

I would like to share with you the story about managing my first fraud investigation. It was a scary endeavor, especially, when I thought about the possibility of failure, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I said, “Yes.” The following things helped me overcome the obstacles I faced along the way:

• Having a reliable support structure is critical. I reached out to numerous people during my three week investigation. Some people gave me professional advice, while others gave me words of encouragement. Both were necessary to help me stay the course and see the investigation through to the end.
• A positive attitude is invaluable. There are two ways to tackle this and both are mental. I used both at various points during the investigation to overcome obstacles. The first related to visualizing a positive outcome, and the second was to tell myself that failure wasn’t an option. Not to say there weren’t times when I questioned the success of the project because it happened. However, this is when I relied on my support structure and faith to help turn my attitude back around.
• Willingness to push forward is important. Throughout life, I have always been hard-headed. If you tell me that I can’t do something, I will do it just to prove you wrong. This quality has gotten me in trouble before, but it has also helped me accomplish things that I probably shouldn’t be able to do. This investigation pushed me beyond my comfort zone, but the thought of quitting never entered my mind.
• Always have faith in God. After a very long day of working, I went back to my hotel room and doubted the successful completion of the investigation. This was the turning point for me from darkness to light. I lay in bed awake wondering how I would quantify the losses. I started praying to God for guidance, wisdom, and strength. At some point during my prayers, I fell asleep. It was the most restful night’s sleep that I had gotten since the start of the investigation. When I opened my eyes the next morning, I had my answer. God had given me a defendable methodology for quantifying the losses.
• A little bit of luck doesn’t hurt either. I was lucky that the fraudster had admitted to his wrongdoing and was willing to help me with the investigation. He was an open book and answered all of my questions. I am not going to lie to you and tell you that he was completely honest.

Completing my first investigation was similar to completing my first marathon. There were tons of obstacles that I had to overcome. This list helped me run 26.2 miles. I ran for over four hours straight. Now, I plan to break my personal best when I run my next marathon and I may even sign up for an ultramarathon.

I hope this blog inspires you to push your limits and helps you achieve something you never thought possible. Go find your marathon!

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