Setting, pursuing and achieving goals is a good way to organize your activities for successful self determination. Challenging yourself with difficult goals can help keep you motivated and working hard, but occasionally you may face a challenge that is not surmountable. Whether the goal was unrealistic to begin with or other circumstances intervened, you will sometimes have to adjust your path. Certainly the more determined you are and the less likely you are to give up, the more likely you will achieve your goals. Sometimes we simply fall short of our original plan. It is very important to take lack of complete goal fulfillment in stride, and to appreciate the progress you did make, as well as the other options that will be available to you.
Successful people do not believe in failure, they simply view lack of achievement as a learning experience and a door to other opportunities. Amazingly, the other options that arise are often unexpected and ultimately may be better than our original plan. The point is to keep an open mind to your opportunities, even those that are created by not achieving your first option. Sometimes it is simply a matter of timing and you will have another chance to accomplish your goal later. This ability to adjust to circumstances, make the most of your success and your learning, will keep you on the path to progress, growth and satisfaction.
Balance idealism, realism, pragmatism and openness to new and unexpected experiences. Idealism helps us determine our goals and ambitions and gives us the energy to pursue them with passion and commitment. It helps us sustain our efforts when circumstances seem difficult, overwhelming or even impossible. It is the biggest driver of meaningful achievement and beneficial improvements to society and the world. Realism keeps us grounded in reality, in present day circumstances as they are, rather than what we want them to be or what we fear they might be. It relies on facts, and provable, reproducible, scientifically derived understanding and logical reasoning. Understanding reality helps chart the course directed by our idealism if we are to be truly effective. Pragmatism takes reality into consideration when trying to accomplish anything, and finds ways of creating solutions that help advance idealistic causes in ways that are consistent and achievable given the present circumstances. It is a path to incremental progress. Openness creates flexibility and adaptability. Our ability to adapt and adjust, to create, imagine or otherwise find alternative courses of action to reach our pursuits is one of our greatest abilities as human beings. Successful adaptation has allowed us to thrive and evolve as a species. While it is important to be idealistic and determined to accomplish anything, we must acknowledge circumstances, find reasonable solutions, and be willing to change our course when necessary to get to the destination. Our route may differ from our original plan, but we can still find our way to positive outcomes with will, consistent effort, and a flexible, open mind. Exploring these options with optimism and curiosity will help us ride the tides and cherish the journey.