If you're anything like me, you've come across some stumbling blocks on occasion throughout your life. There's been something you've really wanted to complete, achieve, or work towards; but, you've just not been able to see past that Thing that got in your way.

Let me rephrase that. You've just not been able to see past that Thing you put in your way.

All those reasons that get in the way of something we truly want - a new job, a better body, more productivity, more creativity? We often put them there ourselves.

I'd love to be more creative (but I just don't have any time).
I'm going to start exercising (once I have a place set up to do it in the house).
I'm not mentally ready to look for a new job (I'll start when I feel less stressed).

My most recent one is: I've wanted a vegetable garden in the back yard, but the soil is clay and is too hard for me to dig.

We've owned this home for two years now, and each March I've thought - I'm going to do it this year, I'm going to start that garden. But then I remember how much clay there is back there, how hard it is to dig, how much time it would take to do it by hand, how difficult it would be to have new soil delivered, what am I going to do with the old soil, what is the best compost to put in, where exactly should I put it?

I created block after block in my mind about getting this done. There were so many blocks that it was less of a stumble and more of a crash to the floor crushed by the weight of them.

Someone suggested taking a week off of work to do it (I have too much work). How about getting a landscaping company to do it (it would cost too much). What about renting a digger machine and doing it yourself (what, are you kidding?! Where the hell do you get one of those?).

I've recently discovered that (one of) my problems is not the blocks I put up - it's a lack of clarity to the original problem. The blocks were coming up because I wasn't entirely certain how to resolve the issue. So, how does one gain clarity? Really specify what is desired, and then ask for it.

So, I want:
- for someone else to do the digging
- for someone to magically take the soil away, and bring in new compost-filled soil
- to only pay a certain amount
- I want to look outside one day and just see it DONE. My only task at that point will be to determine how many bean seeds I need.

I put my request up on Craigslist (my new BFF), and I immediately got a response. Someone is willing to do the digging, is able to take the soil away, can bring in new lovely soil, and hot diggetydog is happy to do it within the price I suggested.

Holy crap, that was easy! I have a history of making things difficult for myself. I used to think it was easier to NOT do something, but then I'd take all that energy that could have been used to find an easy solution, and used it to create reasons (ie, excuses or rationalization) for not doing it.

I've noticed here, and in another couple of examples in my life, my key to getting these tasks going is clarity. I don't mean knowing exactly how to do the task (cuz then it would be easy enough to just do it). What's important is to get clear on our expectation of the task. Not of how the task should be done, but on the end result. So, here, it was having someone else do it, for the right price. Another time it could be setting aside 30 minutes a day for some creative time, or eating well for a month.

What are some of the stumbling blocks you've created recently, and how are some ways you could overcome them, or even completely get rid of them?