- Jim Rohn
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It’s bowl season, which means lots and lots of football! There will be winners and there will be losers. When the contest is over, one team will stay on the field to celebrate their triumph; the other team will sit in despair in a quiet locker-room, trying to figure out what went wrong. Winning a bowl game (or championship) is a goal that every football team sets out to achieve. Falling short of their goal, they will ponder: What went wrong?
What went wrong? Sure, the fans and media will have their own take. They will break down the game and speculate what “coulda” or “shoulda” been done differently. The players and coaches will question themselves. Was it preparation? Was it focus? Was it execution, or maybe something else? For the losing team, it may take days, weeks, maybe even months before the sting of defeat slowly begins to fade. That means days, weeks, or months wondering what went wrong.
When we fall short of a goal, it is important to ask ourselves what went wrong. Reflection is necessary so we can make adjustments that will put us in a better position to succeed the next time around. However, there is a much more important question needs to be asked: What went right? Falling short of a goal is no doubt disheartening. It doesn’t have to be though! Instead, shift your focus and ask yourself: What went right?
A problem with the goal setting process is there is too much emphasis on the end result and not enough on the process. Goal setting should be more about the pursuit and not so much about the result. Why? In some circumstances a goal may have been unrealistic. If you set an unrealistic goal, are you not setting yourself up for failure from the start? Most definitely, if you are only looking at the result. If you achieve a goal by engaging in unethical practices, did you accomplish your goal? Certainly, but then again, you are looking only at the result.
Eleven days into 2016! How are you doing on your 2016 resolutions, or better yet your 2016 goals? Are you still in active pursuit of your goals or has life got in the way of your goals and you’ve pretty much given up?
Here’s a simple question for you - Can you fall short of a goal and consider the experience to be successful? The answer - yes and no – not so simple after all! If you look solely at the results the answer is no. You either accomplished the goal or you didn’t. If you look at the pursuit of your goal the answer is yes. In the big picture, it is the person you become in the pursuit of the goal that really counts. Instead of thinking results, reflect upon what the process has taught or is teaching you; more importantly, the person you have become because of the process. The pursuit of any worthy goal should strengthen your character and make you a better you, regardless of the outcome.
The following story illustrates the point of the importance of focusing on the journey and not so much the destination. There once was a little boy and little girl who were allowed to choose a mutually agreed upon destination for their family's day trip. During the ride, the boy's entire focus was on the destination. He talked incessantly about where they were going and getting there as fast as they could. Whenever a family member tried to get his attention to show him the interesting things that the journey offered, he completely ignored them. He had no time for that, his focus was on reaching the destination. When the family finally reached their destination, the little boy was sorely disappointed. The spot was nothing like he imagined. Overcome with frustration and anger, he pouted most of the day. When it was time to return home, the little boy was emotionally drained. He climbed into the car and fell fast asleep. When the family arrived home, the little boy awoke and confessed, “This was the worst trip ever." His sister, on the other hand, exclaimed, “I think it was the best ever, I've never saw so many neat things along the way.”
As you continue pursuing your 2016 New Year’s resolutions (goals), make sure you focus on the journey and not so much the destination. If you end up being disappointed with your result, remember to change your focus. Don’t focus on the destination (the result)and ask what went wrong, focus on the journey and look for the things that went right along the way!
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It’s your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD
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