Obstacles. Walter Carr. Succeed.

I recently came across a CBS News article on a young man named Walter Carr who walked over a dozen miles to get to his first day of work.
The young man’s vehicle stopped working the night before his 1^st day at Bellhops; a moving company. He didn’t allow an obstacle such as not having a means of transportation to be a reason to miss work. So, Carr walked starting the night before his morning shift, from Homewood, Alabama, to the town of Pelham, Alabama. He walked for 14 miles until 6am when the local police picked him up and became emotionally touched by his story. They bought him breakfast and then to the home of the couples he was to help move that day.
In a tweet, the CEO of Bellhops, Luke Marklin, said: “This is an incredible story. The grit and heart Walter showed defines Bellhops’ culture precisely. I’m really proud to be on the same team as Walter… we set a high bar on service and he just raised it. Look forward to thanking him in person this week.”
Not allowing obstacles to get you down is a true esteemable act. This young man was willing to do what he had to do in the face of adversity in order to succeed. Marklin was moved by Carr’s actions that day that the CEO decided to gift Carr his 2014 Ford Escape.
Obstacles are indeed a part of life. They are perceived barriers to reaching a goal, completing a task, or satisfying a dream. They happen when we least expect them, and they often take on lives of their own – when we let them.
However, there is a greater return on our investment when we have the courage to walk through our discomfort and face our challenges head on. When we don’t let them wear us down and force us to give up, ultimately we reach our destination – perhaps a little shaken, a little weathered, and sometimes a little late – but we get there.
The more we practice facing challenges, the easier the process becomes. While it’s never really easy to overcome obstacles, because we’ve done it before, we know we can do it again. We gain real self-esteem because we stretch beyond our comfort zone.
Keep in mind that overcoming life’s difficulties often makes us emotionally, mentally, and sometimes physically stronger, and yes brings us one step closer to success.