Flexibility (reprised)

So there is a relatively clear order of operations in regards to getting what you want. The first thing you need to do is to figure out WHAT you want. You need to know what you are passionate about, what drives you, and what feeds your soul. This is important for so many reasons, but for today, we are just going to focus on the order of operations so that we can get to the topic at hand. So, please bear with me. 

The second thing you need to do in order to get what you want is figure out a game plan using a SMART goal context. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. And even though it may not seem clear or easy, it is totally possible to turn any passion or interest into a SMART goal. I promise. 

The third thing you need to do is make the decision that the goal is truly worth it. This sort of falls into designing the goal, however, even with the best laid strategy, one with totally manageable steps along the way, it is totally possible to lose motivation and simply stop moving. This issue happens all the time and for lots of reasons. Those reasons and the topic of motivation are critical to success, but we will save those for a different day. Again, please bear with me. 

Alright, so you’ve figured out what you love. You’ve figured out a plan to get there. And you have the motivation and stamina to keep it moving. And you’ve started moving. YAY! 

But then…things start to slip. It’s likely a slow decline at first, something you may not even really notice. You start to NOT follow your plan here and there. You start falling back into old behaviors and routines, things that are not moving you closer toward your goal. And then you realize that it’s happening. You realize that you are not getting as close to your goal as you want. You feel like you’ve been working SO HARD and it’s been for nearly nothing. And you feel sad. And hurt. And let down by the whole goal setting process. 

So, you stop. And this is where today’s topic of flexibility really begins. 

If you get to a point where you stop moving toward your goal or even if you start moving backwards, it may simply mean that it’s time to evaluate the goal itself and decide if it’s really the RIGHT goal. Just because all the leg work was done up front and was done well doesn’t mean that the crystal ball you thought you had worked with 100% clarity and accuracy. 

Even with impeccable planning using a SMART goal context, there will often if not always be little hiccups and roadblocks that pop up, sometimes seemingly out of nowhere, that can easily derail us. We can’t account for every single possible scenario. That’s just not realistic or possible.