How to Overcome Your Obstacles

Are you still procrastinating on that work presentation? Well, it may not be as difficult as you may think. In “The Flight of Icarus,” Daedalus uses his wisdom to engineer his way out of his predicament. In “Heartbeat” and “A Police Stop Changed This Teenager’s Life,” Dave and Duncan are so determined to solve their problems that they push themselves to their limits. In “Rogue Wave,” Scoot and Sully do not lose hope, even when they are put in an impossible, life-threatening situation. Throughout these texts, the protagonists face immense problems, but they are able to overcome them with creative wisdom, perseverance, and optimism.

Brains Over Brawn

In “The Flight of Icarus,” Daedalus and his son, Icarus, were stuck on an island, but that did not stop Daedalus from using his intelligence and creativity to invent the wings that would free them. First of all, in the text, it states, “Daedalus was an ingenious artist and was not discouraged by his failures… Minos may control the air and the sea, but he does not control the air. I will try that way.” This shows that Daedalus is thinking outside the box to find a way off the island using cleverness to work smarter, not harder. Secondly, in the text, it states, “Daedalus then melted some wax and made a skeleton in the shape of a bird’s wing.” This shows that Daedalus is using the resources available to him to invent a way to escape that no one was anticipating. While Daedalus was clever to invent the wings, he was also determined to escape the island.

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

            In “Heartbeat” and “A Police Stop Changed This Teenager’s Life,” we see that another useful trait to overcome obstacles is perseverance. Dave and Duncan are so determined to persevere through tricky situations, whether they are working out or walking for two hours a day to become “the after picture,” we truly see that nothing is going to stop these two young men. For instance, in “Heartbeat,” it states, “For the rest of fall, I did countless pushups and curled free weights until I couldn’t bend my arms. I got ridiculously well-defined…” This shows that Dave was so will-bent to stop being “Heartbeat” that he kept exercising until he could not move. His perseverance will pay off when Sarah says, “You look bigger.” Furthermore, in “A Police Stop Changed This Teenager’s Life,” it states, “I just power-walked the whole way,” and that now, “the walk, it’s not a problem now.” This shows that Duncan does not care about putting in the demanding work and that nothing would stop him from getting to work. While ingenuity and determination are both critical traits to have to overcome obstacles, optimism is the third and final trait in this triumvirate of willpower.

Refusing to Sink

            Finally, optimism can also be a surprising trait to help you overcome obstacles. We see this in “Rogue Wave,” where both Sully and Scoot do not lose hope in the sinking ship, even in an unwinnable scenario. For example, in the text, it states, “Over the next five or six minutes, Sully dove repeatedly…and using all the strength that he had in his arms, legs, and back, in an effort to open the doors.” This shows that Sully is not giving up on helping Scoot, especially due to her excellent swimming skills. He knows that he cannot give up hope on Scoot, or all is lost. In addition, the text states, “Eyes closed, teeth clenched, he kept pounding away with the bloody fist,” and even though “he felt every muscle straining… he was willing to take the gamble.” This shows that even though Sully is struggling to get Scoot out, he is sure that she is still alive, and therefore, is not giving up hope. To sum up, optimism can be a surprisingly helpful trait to overcome your obstacles.

            Overall, Daedalus, Dave, Duncan, and Sully all show that there are numerous ways to break down and overcome obstacles. Whether you use ingenuity to engineer your way out, force and determination to just get it done, or by refusing to give up hope, these powerful characters show us how it is done. These are the challenges in which our responses show what kind of person we are; do you back away from these adversities, or do you show them who is boss? So, stop procrastinating on that work presentation and finish it!