Unaccomplished goals sting. There's no debate over it. No matter how hard you try, it just doesn't always happen. You can let the failure break you and tear you down, or you can use it as motivation to persist, persevere at times of adversity, and keep trying.
Michael Jordan once said, "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
Jordan has learned to see the silver lining through his failures and I'm here too, to discuss the several takeaways from unachieved goals. The lessons you can embrace will take your disappointment, transform it into drive and dedication, and help you recommit to your goals.
1. You learn how to cope with failure.
When you fail, sometimes it's out of your control. You'll recognize failure is necessary and important and only leads to learning, growth, and maturity. Every time you don't achieve a goal, you accumulate more knowledge on how to succeed and reach it. Failure does not equal defeat. You get back up, keep going, and stay focused.
2. Your resilience begins to shape you.
Not only does it shape you, but it shapes your values, priorities, and perspectives. It brings your goals to the forefront of your mind with utter clarity. Your motivation is revamped and you become submersed in your passion to perfect your craft. You itch to revise your strategies. You get excited to create a new game plan. Your focus drives your execution.
3. You accept that it's just not your time.
When things turn awry, many tend to rely on their Higher Power to help them through the hardship. Failure is not any different. You might pray every day, you find those prayers to be unanswered and unfulfilled as each day passes. Your Higher Power isn't ignoring you, they're just saying "not yet." It's not your timing, it's theirs. It's in their hands. You learn to find comfort in their
care.
4. "No" is no longer an acceptable answer.
When you don't get something you really wanted, you either give up or you push even harder to get it. Failing is a safe-proof way to realize how bad (or not bad) you actually want something. When you hear the word "no," your brain registers it as "work harder."
5. The vision of your goal made you better.
Even when you don't achieve your goal, the endless pursuit of it changed and molded you into who you are today. After chasing something for an extended amount of time, you're bound to grow. You're bound to learn new things. Even if the end result wasn't what you hoped for, nothing and no one can take away the knowledge you've gained, growth you've made, and sacrifice you've endured through relentless effort, late nights, and leaps of faith.
