At the centre of Romans Valence, near the Gare, I stood beneath that sculpture of a man frozen mid-step, bag in hand, as though his path had been blocked. Yet there is no wall ahead of him, no chain on him, no visible force stopping him

Honestly, this is how we often carry on, convinced that circumstances, people, or the system have blocked us, when, in fact, we are the ones standing in our own way.

There are days when nobody is against you. No competitor, no colleague, no department, no regulation, no market condition. Just you.

I have reluctantly reached a difficult conclusion: sometimes I am the blocker. Not the economy, not the people, not the system. Me.

We talk about blockers in organisations all the time — bottlenecks, delays, approvals stuck in the pipeline, and strategy waiting for execution. But what happens when the delay is internal?

When the idea is clear, but courage is missing. When the opportunity is present, but comfort feels safer. When the next move is obvious, but pride refuses to adjust.

That is self-obstruction. It is subtle. It feels rational. It even sounds intelligent. "I need more time." "Let us wait and see." "This is not the right season." Sometimes those statements are wisdom. Sometimes they are fear wearing a suit.

This is SO common among professionals with extraordinary potential. We block ourselves when we refuse to delegate because we want control, we avoid difficult conversations to preserve peace, we hold on to an old identity that no longer fits, we overthink decisions that require action, and we protect our ego instead of protecting results. I could go on and on.

I have seen key decisions held up, not because the data or direction was unclear, but because a "particular" assumption was being protected.

It is humbling and frightening to realise that the same pattern can show up in our personal growth.

Growth is not only about strategy. It is about honesty. The question is uncomfortable but necessary: where am I the obstacle? Not "who or what is in my way," but "where am I in my own way?" Am I resisting feedback? Am I clinging to yesterday's success? Am I playing small while claiming I want big outcomes?

We cannot solve what we refuse to admit.

There is a powerful shift that happens when you say, "I may be the problem." That statement is not a weakness. It is leadership. When you identify yourself as the bottleneck, you also become the solution.

You can make the decision you have been postponing. Start the project you keep refining. Ask for help instead of pretending to know everything. Release the role that no longer serves your growth. Nobody else needs to move first. You do.

If I remove every external excuse, what part of this is within my control?

Be honest. Sometimes the door is not locked. You are just standing in front of it.

Insight: If I am the blocker, I am also the key.

I am the blocker. Change is required.

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The author, Bili OdumBili Odum, is the Group Company Secretary/Legal Counsel, United Bank for Africa Plc.