My hand froze mid-air, marker hovering over my vision board. That familiar feeling washed over me again – the doubt, the resistance, the inner voice whispering “this is silly, it’ll never happen.” I put the marker down and walked away. Again.
Manifesting isn’t always the smooth, Instagram-worthy journey it’s made out to be. Between setting those big intentions and actually receiving them, there’s a messy middle ground filled with obstacles, doubts, and unexpected challenges.
We all face these roadblocks. Every single person who’s ever successfully manifested anything – from Napoleon Hill’s successful subjects to modern-day manifestors – has encountered obstacles along the way. The difference between those who achieve their desires and those who don’t isn’t the absence of obstacles, but rather their response to them.
This week, we’re focusing on self-discipline – specifically how creating consistent daily routines supports your manifestation goals. And honestly, there’s no better place to start than with how to overcome those inevitable obstacles that throw us off course.
The Invisible Wall Between You and Your Desires
Here’s something most manifestation teachers won’t tell you: obstacles aren’t just external challenges. They’re often our own internal resistance showing up in physical form.
Think about it. You set an intention to manifest financial abundance. Suddenly your car breaks down, unexpected bills arrive, and your computer crashes. Are these random events… or is your subconscious throwing up resistance?
Our inner world creates our outer reality. When we declare an intention to change, parts of us resist that change. It’s like our subconscious saying, “Whoa, this is different and potentially unsafe. Let me create some distractions.”
Recognizing these obstacles as feedback rather than failure is the first step in moving past them. They’re actually signposts showing us exactly where our internal work needs to happen.
1. Identify Your Obstacle Pattern
We all have a specific type of obstacle that repeatedly shows up. For some, it’s time constraints. For others, it’s money issues or relationship complications.
Grab a journal and answer these questions: – What type of obstacle consistently appears in your manifestation journey? – When exactly does it typically show up? (At the beginning? Just before success?) – What emotion does this obstacle trigger in you? – How have you responded to it in the past?
See the pattern? Maybe every time you’re close to a breakthrough, you suddenly get overwhelmed with other commitments. Or perhaps when financial abundance starts flowing, unexpected expenses appear.
Identifying your pattern is powerful because you can prepare for it. You can say, “Ah, there’s my familiar obstacle showing up right on schedule.” This awareness alone diminishes its power.
You Can’t Fight What You Can’t See
Last month while driving to a manifestation workshop I was teaching, I hit terrible traffic. I immediately felt that familiar frustration rise up – “Why does this always happen when I’m doing something important?”
Then it hit me. This was my obstacle pattern. Whenever I’m about to share my gifts with others, something delays or blocks me. And my habitual reaction? Get frustrated and give up energy.
Just recognizing it changed everything. I took a deep breath and thought, “Of course this is happening. This is exactly what happens before something great manifests.”
The traffic didn’t magically clear (though sometimes awareness does shift circumstances). But my relationship to it completely transformed. Instead of draining my manifestation energy, I protected it.
This is what we mean by overcoming obstacles. Not necessarily making them disappear, but changing your relationship to them so they no longer block your manifestation power.
2. Create a Morning Alignment Routine
Self-discipline isn’t about forcing yourself to do things you hate. It’s about consistently choosing actions that align with your highest vision.
The most powerful time to establish this alignment is first thing in the morning. Before the world’s demands hit you. Before your phone starts buzzing. Before you remember all your problems.
Your morning routine doesn’t need to be two hours long. Even 15 minutes can work wonders. The key is consistency and intention.
Our simple recommendation: – 5 minutes of gratitude journaling – 5 minutes of visualization – 5 minutes setting intentions for the day
When obstacles appear (and they will), this morning routine becomes your anchor. Instead of being knocked off course, you have a daily practice that realigns you with your manifestation goals.
Remember: obstacles have no power against someone who daily recommits to their vision.
3. Reframe Obstacles as Disguised Opportunities
Tuesday I spilled coffee all over my vision board. My first reaction? “Great, just great.” Then I remembered this principle.
The truth is, many obstacles are redirections, not roadblocks. Sometimes the universe has a better plan than we do, and what seems like an obstacle is actually a course correction.
That ruined vision board? It forced me to create a new one – and in the process, I realized my goals had evolved. The “accident” was actually perfect timing.
When you hit an obstacle on your manifestation journey, ask: – What might this obstacle be protecting me from? – Is there an opportunity hidden within this challenge? – How might this be a blessing in disguise? – What skill or quality am I developing by facing this?
Often the obstacle itself contains the very resources you need for your next level of growth. The job rejection leads to a better opportunity. The relationship ending makes space for your true partner.
This reframing isn’t about toxic positivity. It’s about recognizing that obstacles are rarely random – they’re usually meaningful parts of your manifestation journey.
4. Double Down on Physical Movement
When obstacles appear, our energy often stagnates. We get stuck in our heads, overthinking and analyzing. The fastest way to break through? Physical movement.
Movement shifts energy faster than thought. When you’re physically active, you’re literally moving stuck energy through your body.
We’re not necessarily talking about formal exercise (though that’s great too). Even simple actions help: – Taking a walk around the block – Dancing to one song – Stretching for five minutes – Cleaning your space with energetic intention
Movement also shifts you from a passive to an active state. Instead of waiting for obstacles to resolve themselves, you’re taking literal action. This sends a powerful message to the universe: “I’m not waiting – I’m moving toward my desires despite these challenges.”
Next time you feel blocked in your manifestation journey, before doing anything else, move your body. You’ll be amazed how different your obstacles look afterward.
The Third-Day Problem
Have you noticed that obstacles often intensify around the third day of any new manifestation practice? We call this the “third-day problem.”
Day 1: Excitement and motivation are high Day 2: Still riding the initial wave Day 3: Reality sets in, obstacles appear, and doubt creeps in
Knowing this pattern exists means you can prepare for it. When day three rolls around on your new practice, don’t be surprised by increased resistance. Instead, see it as a positive sign that you’re making progress.
This is where self-discipline becomes crucial. Anyone can start something. It’s continuing through the obstacle phase that separates successful manifestors from everyone else.
5. Use the 10-Minute Rule to Overcome Resistance
When obstacles appear, they often trigger the desire to completely abandon your manifestation practices. The solution? The 10-minute rule.
Tell yourself: “I’ll just do 10 minutes.”
Can’t face your meditation? Just do 10 minutes. Don’t feel like visualizing? Just do 10 minutes. Too tired to journal? Just do 10 minutes.
Usually, once you’ve started, you’ll continue beyond the 10 minutes. But even if you don’t, you’ve maintained consistency, which is far more important than duration when it comes to manifestation.
This approach acknowledges the obstacle while not giving it complete power. You’re essentially saying, “I see the resistance, but I’m moving forward anyway.”
6. Create a Personal Obstacle Response Plan
Athletes don’t wait until game day to figure out their strategy. They prepare in advance. Similarly, don’t wait until obstacles appear to decide how you’ll respond.
Create a personal Obstacle Response Plan:
1. List your common obstacles 2. For each, write down: – Your typical emotional reaction – A healthier response you want to practice instead – A specific action step to take when this obstacle appears 3. Keep this plan somewhere visible
For example, if your common obstacle is “feeling too tired to do manifestation practices,” your plan might include: recognizing the tiredness as resistance (not actual fatigue), responding with compassion rather than self-criticism, and taking the action step of doing just one minute of your practice.
Having this plan ready means you won’t be caught off guard when obstacles inevitably appear.
7. Strengthen Your Manifestation Community
Nothing amplifies obstacles like isolation. When you’re struggling alone, challenges seem insurmountable. But in community, the same obstacles become manageable.
Who’s in your manifestation support system? If your answer is “no one,” this is your most important area to develop.
Your community might include: – An accountability partner who checks in daily – A manifestation group that meets weekly (online or in person) – Friends who understand and support your spiritual journey – Online communities focused on similar manifestation goals
When obstacles appear, reach out to this community. Often just sharing your challenge aloud diminishes its power. Plus, others can offer perspective you might miss when you’re in the thick of it.
The Obstacle Is the Way
What if we told you that overcoming obstacles isn’t just part of the manifestation journey – it IS the journey?
The person you become while working through challenges is precisely the person who can receive and sustain your manifestations. The skills, mindsets, and strengths you develop are the real treasure.
So next time an obstacle appears on your manifestation path, try seeing it differently. It’s not blocking your way. It’s showing you exactly what you need to work on next. It’s revealing the precise limiting belief that needs addressing.
In that sense, obstacles aren’t enemies of manifestation – they’re essential guides. By using these seven strategies consistently, you’ll transform your relationship with obstacles. They’ll still appear (that’s life), but they’ll no longer have the power to derail your manifestation journey.
Tomorrow, we’ll explore how to build upon these obstacle-busting skills by creating powerful daily routines that support your specific manifestation goals. For now, pick just one of these seven approaches and apply it to whatever obstacle you’re currently facing.
The universe doesn’t reward perfection – it rewards persistence.