We all have things we want to accomplish in life. Whether personal or professional, setting goals for yourself is a great way to stay focused and motivated. Goals keep us accountable and on track, but sometimes we fall short of them. I certainly know this to be true; I am a very ambitious person, so the wide array of goals I set for myself means they don’t always come to fruition. It’s disappointing and difficult to accept, but it’s one of the most important things about being successful in meeting your goals. The truth is: sometimes you won’t complete your goals, and that is okay.
Sometimes the goal itself is the problem. Maybe it was too big, or too vague, or maybe you felt the path you took to accomplish it wasn’t correct. Whatever the reason you feel like it failed, take that as an opportunity to learn. Understand what went wrong so that when you revise your goal (abandoning your goal isn’t always the answer), you will succeed next time.
Of course, sometimes a goal isn’t realistically attainable, no matter how you look at it. There are times when you have to accept that you won’t get it this time. Once again, you can use it as a learning opportunity. What went wrong? Was it the goal itself or the way you went about achieving it? As with everything in life, you can use failed goals to set new, better ones.
This is something I’ve learned the hard way multiple times. I have high expectations for myself, so it’s difficult to push past my disappointment and get back on track when I fall short of them. Over the years, I’ve learned how important it is to do just that. I’m working on setting more realistic goals, and if I fail, I just make new ones that fit me better.
Whatever it is you want to accomplish, don’t give up. Set goals for yourself that you can reach, and learn from the ones you can’t.