Why Failure is Never Necessary
ByIf you don’t quit, you haven’t failed.
I also look at goals as the end result of a series of objectives. I keep working to make progress or “kaizen” in Japanese. If I don’t reach my objective, then I had the wrong strategy.
Let’s say I wanted to lose ten pounds and I went on the Adkins diet. I set an objective for 60 days. At the end of 60 days I gained two pounds. I obviously had the wrong strategy and so I decided to try another strategy. I haven’t failed my goal of losing ten pounds, but I didn’t reach the objective of doing it in 60 days.
So I pick another strategy. I decide this time to eliminate my two biggest offenders. They are drinking considerable amounts of alcohol and eating hamburgers or pizza while I am doing it. In one week I noticed I have lost three pounds. I am on my way.
What I used to like doing is pick a physical goal and a second goal such as business or career to accomplish at the same time. I set a goal of running five miles instead of my normal one mile and a business goal of increasing my revenues by 20%.
As I increase my running, I have to win the battle of the mind which does not like the extra work or pain. When I make the next step to a mile and a half, I feel triumphant. When I dig into my business goal, I know that I may have to do something uncomfortable like call on more prospects. Just as I didn’t quit running when the going got tough, I have to keep on working when I would rather quit. Once again, I will have to triumph over my mind.
The mind is the real key to success. Developing control over its tendency to want the easy way out is the key to making progress when the going is tough. Changing strategies when one clearly didn’t work is the key to reaching goals.
Finding a passion and never quitting is the way to find out who we are and forge a strong self identity. If we desire to be lean, finding a way to get lean is as great as going to the moon. If we want to run a 10k from our current sedentary life style, finding a way to get there is a giant triumph.
I have never been great at staying at one job for a long time. I get restless feet. I have to keep setting new goals that are worthwhile to me. I have several pursuits right now that include surfing, writing, website building, staying lean, reading great books, and writing e books.
Setting goals that are meaningful and can take a life time is also helpful in giving ourselves time for several strategies. Trying to achieve something major that may be impossible in 30 days, may not be realistic and is a test more than a goal.
The goals are open ended. I don’t quit and most of the time I am making progress. I have learned that it is often necessary to overcome short term disappointments or set backs, but if I never quit, I have never failed.
Being passionate about the pursuit is helpful. Then the activity is the reward and the goal is not necessary. If we love doing something it is not work, work. It may be toil, struggle, frustration, and exhausting, but it is investing in ourselves and so the sweat equity does build residuals.
Pace is important. If I over train I know I get very tired and often have to stop my routine for days. If I hit the wall on a project, I know I can give it a rest and come back with a fresh mind set and look at it again. What is important is to keep attacking. Nothing can stop the human will.
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