Not being successful sucks.
I want it now, and I’m ready to throw my toys out of the pram.
But, as my girlfriend likes to remind me, nothing worthwhile happens immediately.
Still, it’s easy to get frustrated when you see other people do well in a shorter
time frame than you.
You know you’re working just as hard, but the results aren’t as forthcoming.
Happily, there is an alternative way of viewing things.
You’ll need it if you want to feel satisfied when you close your laptop for the day.
So, here is how you come to terms with not achieving your goals right away.
We all want to feel like we have achieved something in life.
So, when a target starts to feel out of your reach, you may be tempted to reduce it to
a more attainable level.
Don’t.
As soon as you bring down the target from its original height, you’re lowering your
expectations.
In the future, your morale is gradually weakened as you begin to accept a lower level.
Consequently, the targets continue to reduce in magnitude.
The original goal is further away than ever before.
In The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure, the author discusses
how setting a goal ten times beyond what you think you’re going to achieve can establish
a high threshold to work toward.
You don’t settle for mediocrity, instead installing a hunger to work harder than you
would initially.
That way, you can be ready for all of the punches life will throw your way.
Action tips: 1.
Don’t be disheartened if you don’t achieve everything on your to-do list.
2.
Rather than feeling like a failure, think about what you’re going to do tomorrow to
fix your failures.
3.
Don’t lay in motion; take action.
Sure, it’s beneficial to have goals.
Every night before I go to sleep, I write down my most pressing goals in a journal.
I then write the steps I need to take to achieve them.
Still, a purely goal-based mindset can quickly become a toxic thing.
If you love what you do, coming to terms with not achieving your goals right away shouldn’t
be too challenging.
As James Clear writes in Atomic Habits, goals are fleeting.
If you latch on to them too much, your mood will fluctuate as they do.
Instead of having a few peaks now and then, you’ll want to establish a baseline.
After all, not every day is glorious.
For example, the headline performer in a hit Broadway show can feel euphoric as the curtains
close on a Saturday night performance.
But how do they feel the following Tuesday?
The same?
I doubt it.
They will go back to rehearsals because they love doing it.
So no, you won’t achieve your goals right away.
If you fall in love with the process, that shouldn’t be such a terrible thing.
It’ll be more like a satisfying pat on the back.
Action tip: A lot of people work because they have to.
They resent the job they have.
If this is you, then instead of focusing on the significant factors that need to change,
start small.
Attempt to enjoy the little things, such as sending emails, and it’ll all make a difference
eventually.
Although there are millions of bloggers and YouTubers out there, I couldn’t help but
feel alone for the first few months of my journey.
There weren’t a set of rules to follow, nor was there a standardised way to progress
and measure my success.
I was a guy typing in his room.
I felt alone.
Recently, however, I joined a mastermind group.
It’s helped enormously, as not only do we edit each other’s work, we can also share
our grievances.
By finding someone you can relate to, you can use their experiences as a comparison
to your own.
Chances are, if you’re experiencing some difficulties in your line of work, then someone
else has too.
Most of the time, people who have been in your situation will want to help.
When they notice you’re struggling, not only will it feel good for them, but you’ll
be able to move on.
You’ve formed a relationship, and all parties get something out of the interaction.
Action tip: Reach out to someone you admire.
Chances are your admiration will touch them.
Seeing others achieve their goals when you aren’t is frustrating.
It’s like an itch you can’t scratch.
However, if you don’t learn to scratch it soon, you’ll always be uncomfortable.
Life is a process.
Not everything is going to go your way, and even if you have a detailed plan, something
will still go wrong.
You may be getting married but then a pandemic hits.
You may be preparing to move city, but the deal for the house falls through.
You just don’t know.
So start now.
Prepare early, and you’ll be okay.