How to sidestep hiding places and noble obstacles that stall you

We all sneak into hiding places when our goals feel risky. Maybe you scroll social feeds instead of outlining that proposal or organize your closet instead of starting your next chapter. These comforts feel noble—a bit of “busywork” or a few errands—but they’re really safety nets to avoid failure. I once found myself deep-cleaning my garage for months before I’d sit down to craft a single blog post.

Noble obstacles cloak avoidance in virtue. You tell yourself, “I can’t write until I’ve taken every online course,” or “I’ll diet after I fix the pantry.” In reality, these extra steps only delay your finish line. The escape seems harmless until you realize you’re years past your intended goal date.

To break free, treat your favorite avoidance action as a red light: you don’t even approach it during your focus window. Then throw up a green light for the one action that matters—sit at your desk for twenty minutes of free writing. Over time, your hiding places lose their appeal and you’ll choose forward momentum over endless excuses.

Write down your go-to distractions and noble obstacles, then create clear boundaries that block those paths during work slots. Replace each safety net with a small, uninterruptible focus session on your goal. Do this consistently and hiding in busywork will no longer feel like an option.