We are in the last quarter of the year; the final countdown to the year 2020. The expectations and anticipation of 2021 surrounds us.
Have you ever looked at the finish line of a race as you stood at the beginning? Have you ever started a puzzle with one piece while looking at the box knowing what your result will look like when you’re finished?
This is what happens to me every year. I stand at the beginning of the year looking forward to the 12 months ahead in anticipation of what exciting things lie ahead. So as I go into the last quarter of the year, I will take time to reflect on my successes and my failures, or as I like to call them…opportunities.
I never like to use the word failure when I’m speaking to people about their goals or what they look to accomplish because it’s such a negative word. Just because you didn’t accomplish something doesn’t mean that you failed. It just means that you have other opportunities to find another way to accomplish that goal.
When I ran my first marathon, it took me over 500 miles of training to complete a 26.2-mile course. I knew it would be hard and I knew that along the way I would have stumbles that I would need to come back from. In the end, it took me two hours longer than I had been training for because I started off too fast. I ended up very, very sore at mile 20, but as I was running towards the finish line, I realize that I did complete my goal, it just took me a little bit longer and I had to embrace some changes along the way.
By always looking for the opportunities in my shortcomings, I am able to see how great I can be when I put my mind to something. Yes, it took me two hours longer to finish that marathon, but in the end, I crossed that finish line knowing I had accomplished my goal.
What goals do you still have left this year that you need to work on, in order to achieve? I recommend you seize this opportunity to create something great and accomplish something wonderful.
P.s. When you take the time in the beginning to look at everything that you’ll need to accomplish to achieve your goal, you will set yourself up for success.