Now here’s a sentence you don’t hear too often the week after Passover: “I’ve dropped 17 pounds.”

But I’m saying it – loud and proud.

Now of course, I must admit that the week before Passover, I was also down 17 pounds, but for me, maintaining my weight loss over a holiday not widely known for its health benefits is a victory.

I also admit that I’ve lost 17 pounds before. Many, many times. So what makes this weight loss different from all others? This time, I used the same coaching approach on myself that I teach in the Jewish Coaching Academy  and that I use with my clients to anticipate obstacles.

Whether our task is losing weight, beginning a new fundraising campaign, kicking off a professional development program, doing performance reviews, or anything that we’re starting – or starting again – we need to reflect on the common stumbling blocks that get put before us, by ourselves or others:

1. How committed we really are to doing the work or making a change.
2. How many other things we’re also committed to right now.
3. How “secretly committed” we are to maintaining the current situation.
4. How hard or complex it is.
5. How much time it’s going to take.
6. How many things we couldn’t have anticipated (or could have but didn’t).
7. How much energy it requires.
8. How quickly or easily we may get discouraged.
9. How challenging it may be to get others on board, or who else we needed on board but didn’t realize.
10. How powerful the voices in our head can be that stop us from being bold and moving forward.

When we skip thinking and talking about these blind spots, we increase the chances that our efforts will fail, that folks will become frustrated, and that we will have to go back to square one – again. When we consider and admit these stumbling blocks to ourselves and to others, we’re far more likely to move forward with eyes wide open and success in our view.

“Anticipating Obstacles” is only one of the 10 skills that I teach in the Jewish Coaching Academy, a 10 hour blended-learning program that teaches coaching skills through a Jewish lens to professional and volunteer leaders. Over 100 people have graduated from our program – and our next public program is on Thursday, May 7th in New Jersey.

Click here for more information.

Our early bird special ends Friday, April 17!