A system and method is provided for performing stimulation operations at a wellsite having a subterranean formation with a reservoir therein. The method involves acquiring integrated wellsite data (e.g., geomechanical, geological, and/or geophysical properties of the formation, and/or geometrical properties of the mechanical discontinuities in the formation). The method also involves generating a mechanical earth model using the integrated wellsite data, and identifying a crossing behavior between an induced hydraulic fracture and at least one discontinuity in the formation. The method also involves optimizing a stimulation plan to achieve an optimized crossing behavior. The stimulation plan includes at least one of fluid viscosity, rate of injection of the fracturing fluid, and concentration of a fluid loss additive. The optimization may further include adjusting the stimulation plan to achieve the optimized crossing behavior between the induced hydraulic fracture and the discontinuity in the formation.