CAUTION: stumbling blocks ahead.

The road to achievement is paved with potholes.

Here are 10 strategies to help you bear the bumps on your way to success.

ON THE HIGHWAY OF LIFE, CARMEN BRAXTON switches lanes with ease. As a senior sales director for Lightspan Inc., an educational software company based in San Diego, she hits the road three days a week--bouncing among Miami, Cleveland, Camden, New Jersey, and Rochester, New York--to sell to education leaders, including superintendents and school principals. Her job requires that she quickly adapt to change and get over the setbacks of rejection.

The ability to "change management styles, products, locations, clients, and company focuses is my most rewarding asset," says Braxton, 41. "The ability to accept unforeseen changes has become the key to my success." While this skill has firmly planted her on the road to prosperity, she experienced a few fender benders before she learned it.

In 1986, Braxton moved from Madison, Wisconsin, to East Orange, New Jersey, with her fiance. She accepted a sales position with a textbook company, and searched for prospective clients in New York City's high-risk, inner-city school districts. Fearful of the drug dealers and gang members prevalent in the area, and fed up with apathetic parents of the students, Braxton left the company in 1989 and accepted a sales position at another textbook firm.

By the end of 1995, she changed companies two more times, because of several acquisitions in the publishing industry. "Many of the textbook companies I worked for were bought by conglomerates," she notes.

Less than a year later, she was faced with yet another life change: a divorce. Granted no alimony, Braxton was left with no money and bad credit. She struggled to raise her then 7-year-old son on her $22,000 annual salary and child support from her ex-husband.

It was then that she decided she had to embrace change, not be a victim of it. "I was on my own for the first time, with a child. I had to do what I had to do," she says. She counts her spiritual faith as the basis of her ability to cope with change. Through continuous prayer and meditation, she gained the strength to take charge of her situation--and change her life for the better.

We've all stumbled from setbacks. Some of us have even experienced events that could have completely knocked us to the ground. Maybe you have. Perhaps you told yourself that success was just too difficult to work for--an unscalable mountain. Or hopefully, on the other hand, you simply rededicated yourself, learned from your mistakes, and forged ahead.

What is it about some men and women that they seem to succeed no matter what the circumstances? How do they do it when others either can't or won't?

"Feelings of disappointment, anger, frustration, depression, and anxiety can result when a person perceives they have failed or been defeated," asserts Monique N. Coleman, Ph.D., a clinical and forensic psychologist, principal of Forensic Psychological Services, and president of Central Ohio Association of Black Psychologists in Columbus, Ohio. "Successful individuals, however, typically use their emotions in a positive manner. They tend to look for new opportunities, rather than withdrawing into a helpless mode."

Determined not to accept defeat, Braxton took on two part-time jobs--as a waitress and a jewelry salesperson--to supplement her income at textbook sales job No. 4. She left the company in early 1997 to accept an offer from Lightspan's Northeast regional vice president.

Today, Braxton routinely surpasses her annual sales quota of more than $1 million and earns $250,000 a year at Lightspan. While she never would have guessed that her past struggles would serve her well in her professional future, she is now confident that she could tackle any major change head-on. "Change is constant--it's going to happen. You just have to be willing to adjust and make those changes work for you," she says.

Successful people understand that struggle can be fertilizer for success. They have learned how to confidently look obstacles in the eye and resolve to move forward anyway. Follow these 10 strategies to help you take control of the wheel of your professional or personal life and steer yourself in the direction you want to go, no matter how rough the road ahead.

STRATEGY #1

Change your perspective. Braxton altered her view of her circumstances, which empowered her to take control of them. Your attitude contributes significantly to your response in trying times and how you will proceed. "Adjusting your way of seeing a situation can allow you to maintain an `I can do it' frame of mind when setbacks occur," maintains Coleman.

She recommends the following three steps: "Adjust your way of viewing a situation by reflecting on past successes, embracing positive reinforcement from others, and refusing to personalize individual setbacks." Realizing that certain things are just going to be out of your control will also help.

STRATEGY #2

Count the hard times as a necessary blessing. Those who win believe that whatever is in store for them today is meant to be--no matter the circumstances, says Beverly Smith, principal of the HR Group Inc., a management consulting and human resource services company in Marietta, Georgia. This basic belief will allow you to focus on how to purposefully use adversity.

As the old saying goes, you can't have flowers without rain. When faced with a challenging situation, ask yourself: What happened during my last setback? What was the worst thing that happened? How did I get through? Did that experience make me stronger, and in what ways? What are the "positives" that came out of what happened? The answers to these types of questions will help you to better weather the difficult times on your journey to the good ones.

STRATEGY #3

Have a passion for what you do. Your devotion to reaching your goals contributes to a sense of purpose, says Coleman. It will also help you to keep focus during times when the process temporarily stalls or falls off the track. Keith Brown, president of Newark, New Jersey-based Cosmopolitan Executive Offices Inc., a business center for urban entrepreneurs, understands this point all too well.

Brown, 35, worked as a mechanical engineer for several large companies, including Lucent Technologies and Allied Signal, before striking out on his own in 1997. He became a full-time consultant for these companies, using the money he earned and personal savings--about $58,000 altogether--to start his business, including the construction of a new, penthouse office suite. But when his consulting assignments slowed down, Brown lost his main source of financing. His money ran out and work on the office space--for which he was already paying rent--was halted. With no access to any other capital at press time, passion is all that is keeping him going.

"I sold off everything to accomplish this and worked very long, hard hours to see this dream happen," says Brown. "I want to do my part to make [Newark] one of the most prosperous cities to ever come back from a sometimes unlucky past. I do not intend to stand on the sidelines and do nothing to help," he says of his hometown.

Do you lose sight of your passion when hard times come? List the reasons why you initially enjoyed the task you undertook, or made the goal that you set for yourself. Keep them posted in a well-trafficked area, and refer to them often. They will serve as your motivators (see Strategy #10) during challenging times.

STRATEGY #4

Learn from other people's knowledge. "When you stumble, learn from other people have attained what you are trying to attain," advises Mike Howard, president of MB Howard & Associates, a peak performance training and motivational company based in Atlanta. "Learn from their experiences and the knowledge they have gained from being knocked down."

Talk to people in your professional organizations and/or business networking circles about their experiences. You can also find examples of people who overcame obstacles via the printed word. To help him keep his focus, Brown immerses himself in the Bible, business magazines, and biographical sketches of entrepreneurs who have succeeded in times past. Brown is adopting the strategies used by others--he cites Dennis Kimbro's book What Makes the Great Great: Strategies for Extraordinary Achievement (Doubleday, $13.95) as an especially inspirational read--in order to overcome his own professional obstacles.

STRATEGY #5

Don't let pride get in the way of recovery. Be mindful that tangible success is never an end point, but a springboard to the next level of opportunity, says Smith. That said, sometimes the brainchild that allowed you to get to this point could be the very thing that causes you to fail if you cling to it when the tide changes.

When you find yourself saying, "This will catch on if I just stick with it," and you're many months or years into a professional or personal goal and haven't made any progress, beware. It's probably time to let go and move on to the next level. Your success won't be grounded in one idea--no matter how brilliant you may think it is--but in the ability to continually draw new boxes and keep reconfiguring them as your situation changes.

STRATEGY #6

Erase self-imposed limits. A setback is a chance to reevaluate your strategy and your personal definition of success, says Smith. It also provides a time to reevaluate yourself. Recognizing your strengths and developing confidence in them is key to parlaying setbacks into new opportunities.

Tim Howard has spent his entire life overcoming personal limitations. Howard, 22, a professional soccer goalkeeper for the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars, has successfully qualified for the U.S. National Soccer Team and participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He also happens to suffer from Tourette's syndrome.

This neurological disorder--characterized by repeated, involuntary, rapid, sudden movements and/or vocalizations--has presented challenges for Howard both on and off the field. Growing up, he was often made to feel like an outcast in social settings. But he never internalized the rejection. "God made me this way, so I have to deal with it," maintains Howard. "I've met others with the same condition, and they never let it stop them. So I knew I wouldn't let it stop me."

On the field, he forces himself to concentrate on playing, not on his body's reactions. Off the field, it's not as easy. Still, his condition hasn't kept him from accomplishing his goals. "Most people who have Tourette's syndrome tend to be gifted in another area," says Howard, whose self-esteem and outlook on life haven't been affected. He's gearing up to take his athletic gifts to a new plane: He now has his sights set on making it to the World Cup.

STRATEGY #7

Focus on the lessons, not the licks. "It has been said, `experience is the hardest kind of teacher. It gives you the test first and the lesson afterward,'" explains Smith. Don't spend too much time on wondering "why me?" Instead, look for the lessons in your experience and use them to get to your destination.

"I learned that you have to really plan ahead," says Brown, who acknowledges that he should have done a better job with scheduling with the contractors. "I did all the research on the construction firm, but I didn't get in writing when the project would be completed. Next time I will," says Brown, who will also be sure the new contract includes penalty clauses in the event that the builders take longer than quoted.

When looking ahead after a disappointment, ask yourself, "If I had to do it over again, what would I have done differently?" The answer will require you to be completely honest about your contribution to the setback. Taking a step back from your situation and looking at it objectively--as if you were giving advice to someone else--will help you focus on what went wrong so you can do better next time.

STRATEGY #8

Tackle adversity head-on. "If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed," says Veraunda I. Jackson, an Orlando, Florida-based motivational speaker and author of Everything Has A Price (EHAP Inc., $16). "Figure out what is causing the struggle and address the source," she asserts. Realize that you have the power to change the outcome of a situation if you start with positive thoughts, followed by a plan to resolve the situation.

In 1994, Gwendolyn Fisher was downsized from her position as a staff editor at ARCO in Los Angeles. At the same time, she was carrying the financial weight of the family, and was pregnant with her first child. With no job, the threat of losing active enrollment in a corporate-sponsored executive M.B.A. program at the University of California Anderson School, Los Angeles, and a baby on the way, Fisher was faced with several dilemmas. Would anyone consider hiring a pregnant professional? How would she finish school with no foreseeable income?

After considerable contemplation, Fisher formulated a plan of action--and then put it to work immediately. She took out student loans, and did freelance work for corporations and for several public relations firms to prepare financially for the birth of her child. All the while, she surrounded herself with supportive people and tried to remain positive. "I didn't know if I would make it," she admits. But she did know that her situation wouldn't get better if she took no action at all.

STRATEGY #9

Become fearless. In order to overcome fear in life, you must dwell on the rewards of life and the success that can come along with it. Says John Williams, author of Bend But Don't Break (iUniverse.com, $9.95), you must replace fear with a desire to reach all levels of achievement. "Desire says I want to--I can, I will, I must--and I will seize it at all costs," he says.

Fisher gave birth to a healthy baby girl about eight months after she lost her job. She could have allowed the fear of financial insecurity and professional uncertainty to cloud her vision of finishing school and getting back on her feet professionally. But she didn't.

"Once I took stock of everything, I knew that going through this experience, particularly finishing my education, would make my life better." She turned her fear into faith, completed the M.B.A. program, and landed a new gig as a manager of corporate communications at pharmaceutical giant Merck in central New Jersey.

In the end, Fisher emerged stronger--and happier. The higher income that came along with her new job also helped her regain control of her financial situation. "I knew I would have to take things day by day," she says. "As a result, my life is so much better now."

STRATEGY #10

Stay motivated--no matter what. Otis Williams, president of Otis Williams Limitless Inc., a personal development firm based in Cincinnati, argues that your level of motivation will have a major impact on your productivity, achievement, and overall well-being.

Braxton and Fisher were both motivated by sheer survival--their own and particularly that of their young children. Howard's motivation sprung from the desire to become a top-notch athlete. And while he's not out of his rough spot yet, Brown's primary motivator is his desire to bring about positive change in his community. First, identify what motivates you (see Strategy #3). Then, resolve yourself--through meditation, prayer, journal writing, whatever works for you--to keep that motivation alive, no matter what circumstances come your way.

"Realize that challenges only come to test your endurance," Williams says. "Focus on why you've got to make it through. Continuously visualize your victory." Having a passion for what you do is one thing. Staying motivated during challenging times will mean victory or defeat in overcoming obstacles on your road to success.