This morning I recorded a podcast on the topic of opposition. I enjoyed my conversation with cohost Dave so much that I decided to share in the form of a blog post. I hope you enjoy…

Opposition is everywhere. Every day we are met with opposition in many forms. Perhaps you were denied an invitation to engage in a conversation? Maybe someone rushed through the door in front of you and failed to hold it open for your entry? Even worse, your idea was shot down in the presence of your peers and you were left feeling shamed and embarrassed. The question is not whether you will face opposition, but how you will handle it…

Just as we all face opposition on a regular basis, we all have a chance to respond. So here’s a question as you think through this…”do you see opposition as an opportunity or an obstacle?” When you are consistently met with opposition from a familiar source will you continue to engage or will you walk away? I would encourage you to stick with it to the extent you see potential.

Anything in life of real value is very much worth the fight, struggle or even hassle of obtaining. In the same light, most things we hold near and dear to our hearts did not come easily. This is where seeing opposition as an opportunity becomes so valuable. As we have surmised, opposition is a given…it is how we as human beings react when presented with anything new and unfamiliar. It is crucial that those who are presenting something new not become discouraged by our initial reaction. Perhaps what we are really saying when we initially oppose is “tell me more because I’m just not sure.” It is on this presumption that the opportunity to influence presents itself. When we allow opposition to engage our desire to educate and serve we will welcome it, rather than detest it. When we feel that our ability to improve the lives of those whom we are trying to connect with, is enhanced when we learn to successfully navigate opposition, we will be more likely to view it is opportunistic.

Opposition is nothing more than an opportunity to build a long lasting and meaningful relationship. Will you stick with it long enough to see THE opportunity or will you be deterred by the obstacle of opposition and simply give up?