The Greatest Obstacle I Face

Summer Lotus
3 min readMay 1, 2022

And the factor to overcome it….

By Rosalind Ho (Canva.com)

I am aware of the power of the mind, the passion and the persistence.

Living in today’s world, we see how incredibly intelligent human beings can be through their achievements, their imagination and their determination. It is the rare few who will break through the common mold and leave their marks in this world and for the good of human mankind.

From the development of medicine which reduces suffering and prolong life to walking on the moon to connecting the world through the internet, to the partnering with AI that will improve human performance and efficiency, we know the mind is limitless in what it wants to achieve.

Each of us have goals and fears. What’s holding us back? I list them as lack of courage, practice, imagination and practice. So here I am with my list of goals, some left on the backburner because of the aforementioned factors. As an average human being, I do not have lofty goals but mine to overcome and feel the triumph.

It used to be public speaking. As they say, for some people, they rather be in the wooden box then to eulogize at a wake. Think of the missed opportunities when one do not learn to articulate well. Misunderstandings result, being seen as a ‘no brainer’ in the true sense of the phrase, and a cold fish, perhaps.

Most successful people are good in communication skills. It is an art and a science, one that can be mastered, by learning about the steps, putting it into practice and believing yourself. If one wants to be successful and move the people around you into action, it is the best and first thing to learn.

It is never too late. We need to talk to somebody every day and we want it to be effective!

As I write this as a Toastmaster of 35 years, I begin to uncover the impediment to my slow progress — The unwillingness to overcome my fear.

The dislike of listening to my own voice, the uncomfortable feeling of watching my video, and the associated embarrassment of not being able to carry through. It is a struggle that I put up at each meeting, wondering if I would forget my lines and always holding on to my crutch which is my script and worrying how I look, lol.

Summer Lotus

Translated from my Chinese name. Interested in life, curious about everything. Challenge seeker, die-hard enthusiast, dental surgeon, ardent Toastmaster.