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We are confronted with them each and every waking day. Some days they appear as a horizontal line of bright orange traffic cones. Other days, a heavy strip of yellow caution-tape. Imaginary or not, either way, the subjective message delivered is "it's not worth the risk." As a result, far too many people give up on their dreams.

What or who is it that puts those cones or caution tape in our way, holding us back from perusing our dreams? Significant others? Children? Finances? Or ... is it just our own self doubt?

Let's start there. We are our own worst critics. From beauty to talent, it's all too easy to say "Hey, what was I thinking?" We are treasure hunters when it comes to detecting our own talents. Yet we are settlers in questioning our own abilities.

One of your single worst enemies could say "You stink at what you do." Does that constitute a valid hurdle in your pursuit of happiness? Perhaps. Yet hurdles, even obstacles can be gone over and around. It's only if we invest our emotions in negative opinions that the obstacles seem so concrete there is no way around them.

It is the dreamer who pays the price when buying into, or investing their emotions in other's negativity. Even if that nay-sayer is a husband, wife, or friend, what is it about them that makes their vision of our vision more credible than our own?

Ask yourself, are their negative comments holding me back, are they trying to keep me at their beck-and-call? Do they offer positive input and way's to improve? Are they supportive in the least? Why am I listening to them?

Accepting someone else's construction of your dream, is a crime. There are many architects in the world. When we are pursuing dreams, an architect is exactly what we are. It is our vision. Our goal. Our dream. No one else's.

That is not to say we should not accept advice. Advice is a guide. A guide to whatever action we may be considering. A take-it or leave-it idea toward our dreams. If everyone halted what they believed in, as soon as someone laughed at them, we may not even have the Internet today. You, may not even be reading my point of view at this very moment.

Who would be to blame for that? The one who gave-up or the one who criticized? I maintain it would be the one who gave-up.

Life's obstacles don't get in the way of our dreams. We ourselves, get in the way of our dreams. We allow others to mandate what is okay, and what is not. We allow others to inform us that we lack the intelligence to forge ahead. We allow others, out of their own insecurities to tell us or ideas are not viable.

All in all. We allow it. We are our own worst obstacle. We stand in our own way giving credence to those who don't even put forth the effort to take us seriously.

Obstacles will continually be put in our way. That is a part of life. And sure, children and finances, work and school, are other obstacles. Those obstacles though, are one's that typically slow us down a bit, not take a bite out of our self-confidence. It is those who find their way around these obstacles that make a difference in the world.

Learn more about this author, Tonya Barton.
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