You’re plodding along after your goals, making slow and steady progress, when out of nowhere…
BAM.
A huge setback is in your way. Something unexpected and NOT in line with your perfectly created plan.
So what are you supposed to do? Give up?
NOOO! Please don’t do that! You CAN still reach your goal, it will just take some careful adjustment.
So let’s talk about how to handle setbacks like this so you can still reach your goals.
Reevaluate
First, go back to your original goals. Is this still something you want considering the new circumstances?
If not, that’s totally ok. Sometimes things change. That’s just part of life.
So, if you need to table your goal or throw it out altogether, this is your permission to do so.
However, if your goal IS still something you want, then you need to consider step #2:
Adjust the timeline
Next, take a look at your original timeline for your goal. Is it still realistic? Or does it seem impossible now?
It’s totally ok to change your timeline if you need to, just make sure to create a new deadline.
Adjust the action steps
After you’ve evaluated your timeline, it’s time to take a look at your action steps. Is there any that you now need to add? Are there any that you don’t need anymore?
Give yourself some grace
Finally, be sure to give yourself some grace. Life happens. Things don’t go as planned, even when we have the best of intentions.
So know it’s OK.
A setback is just that: a setback. It’s not the end of the world.
So be kind to yourself as you reevaluate your goals.
That wraps up my game plan for how to handle setbacks to your goals and still reaching them: reevaluate, adjust the timeline, adjust the actions steps, and give yourself some grace.
You CAN still reach your goals when setbacks happen. Just follow these simple steps to get back on track.
Nice article, Laura.
This reminds me of the book Finish, by Jon Acuff. Have you read it at all?
Acuff talks about setbacks quite a lot, and how to handle the issue of perfectionism. It’s a great, easy, powerful read.
Cheers!