We get off track somehow.
We start off in one direction and with the tiniest of course adjustments, the most benign of reactive decisions, we change our trajectory so dramatically that we lose sight of the original goal. We find temporary respite and satisfaction on the ridge of the mountain, forgetting the summit is still unconquered.
We move the goalposts, or someone moves them for us.
We deviate from the original plan.
We abandon the goal altogether, convincing ourselves that our original intentions were misguided or unrealistic.
The funny thing is that our misalignment is not perceptible when it is happening. Instead, our disquiet – our discomfort – our dissatisfaction – they show show up disguised as other things:
- Increased frustration
- Decreased patience
- Feelings of distrust and a tendency towards isolation
- A sense of unease where there was once confidence
- A shift in perspective towards the negative.
Suddenly, nothing seems right and we find ourselves puzzled by our predicament. The great reevaluation begins in earnest: how did we end up so far from where we started?
This dramatic moment of reckoning we experience, while it can be productive and cathartic and life-changing, it doesn’t have to happen as theatrically as it does.
Instead, we should train ourselves to evaluate our lives often – to evaluate our progress honestly. Is the path to our dreams clear? Are we in position to launch ourselves to the next level? Are we surrounded by those who support our growth?
As we round the corner of 2022 and set sights on a new year, let’s focus on ownership of our lives and set intentions for fair and regular evaluation of our progress. As often as you submit a report, as often as you complete a large project, pause and check in with yourself before jumping back into the game. And jump in feet first instead of head first, staying so grounded in your goals that nothing – that no one – can alter your course.