For centuries, sailors searched for a shortcut to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Columbus searched in vain for a passage through what is now Central America to lead him to the Indies, where he believed treasures awaited him. Numerous other sailors followed in his footsteps. However, no shortcut was forthcoming. There was simply no way to cross through Central America. The only way to sail from say, New York to San Francisco, was to head south and sail around the southern tip of South America and then all the way back up to San Francisco. Needless to say, such a trip would be costly in terms of time and money.

In my coaching practice, I have learned that many people are just like these ancient explorers. They are separated from their dreams by tiny stretches of terrain that they can not seem to cross. They know that the "promised land" is not far off but they simply can't seem to get from here to there. For instance, they can envision a healthier body but they are blocked from having it by habits of overeating or smoking. Or they can see that next level of promotion in their jobs and business, but they are blocked by the inability to follow up, fill out paperwork, show up on time, etc.

Many people in this situation simply give up and return back to port. Others are more determined and decide to take the long way around. While this determination is certainly admirable, there is a better way. Sometimes, the solution is to break through the barrier.

For instance, in 1903, the U.S. began construction on a canal to run through the Isthmus of Panama. Nine years and $300 million later, the canal was completed. Today, in just eight hours, a ship can cut through the 50-mile Panama Canal and take 7,872 miles off the journey from New York to San Francisco. Where in your life do you need to dig a canal?

Are you allowing Ben & Jerry's to keep you from your ideal weight? Or are you allowing procrastination to keep you from accomplishing your goals? Or have you allowed your temper (or timidity) to imprison your relationships? If so, here are some ways to make that break through to success.

Survey the Landscape. As you can imagine, the U.S. government didn't choose Panama as the spot for the canal by throwing darts at a map of Central America. Instead, it conducted extensive surveys of the region. In fact, it seriously considered using Nicaragua as the site of the canal. Only after careful consideration of all the options, did it conclude that Panama had the best conditions for success. You need to take the same approach. Make an honest assessment of all the barriers keeping you from your goal.

Choose the Path of Least Resistance. The U.S. government never once considered constructing a canal through the heart of Texas. It would have been simply too difficult to cut through several hundred miles of land to connect the Gulf of Mexico with the Pacific Ocean. Instead, it chose a site where a canal could be dig at considerably less cost. What is the one barrier that you could most easily surmount?

For instance, if your doctor told you that, given your height and weight, you are 30 pounds overweight and 4 inches too short, would you try to lose 30 pounds or grow 4 more inches? The answer is obvious, right? You'd try to lose the 30 pounds. However, sadly, many people are trying to grow 4 more inches. They are trying to change company policy to fit their needs rather than fitting into the company policy. Or they are trying to change a dozen things about their spouse's behavior when all they need to do is change one thing about themselves - their attitude to their spouse's behavior.

Plan for Trouble. When the U.S. government announced its plans to build the Panama Canal, it projected that the canal would take 10 years to build. In fact, the project only took 9 years to complete. In truth, the engineers behind the project knew that the canal could be built in less than 10 years but they gave themselves some leeway just in case things went wrong. And they did. The first two chief engineers quit. Then, in 1908, the width of the canal and the length of the locks had to be increased. Nevertheless, the project came in ahead of time and $23 million under budget.

However, imagine what would have happened had the government engineers planned for the best case scenario. Surely, once the project began to cost more and take longer than expected, there would have been many people calling for an end to the project. This is what often happens to people when they start to remove some of their own barriers. They don't lose the weight as fast as their best case projections and get discouraged. Or they fail to get the promotion as soon as they hoped for and return to their old ways. Therefore, it's important to hope for the best but plan for the worse.

As you dig your own canal through life, remember to survey the landscape, choose the path of least resistance and plan for trouble. By doing so, you can make the most out of your dash.