I screwed up this week. And it all had to do with goal achievement. Looking back. I can’t believe I acted in the way I did. Progress and screw-ups are siblings in my goal achievement family.
What if you obtain a long shot personal goal that conflicts with a higher priority relationship goal? Obviously you prioritize your goals and choose the higher priority. Obviously though I didn’t, and find myself digging out of self-inflicted hole. Good job coach!
The personal goal had to do with the ability to perform and came out of the universe of God moments. When it arrived un-expectantly, I was “blinded by the light.” My joy totally overpowered my judgement involving the implications of the opportunity to my family . I chose to not think things through and explained the opportunity in a way that no one else understood. When the terms were fully explained a week later, I created a major problem with my wonderful wife. She was right and right angry and deservedly so. In my rush to capitalize on my goal attainment opportunity, I threw out discernment.
This may be an example of another risk of blind optimism. Of my 10 goals this was number 9 and being an optimist, I saw the opportunity as validation of the power of God to answer prayers combined with positive affirmation.
Here’s the discernment. If I had asked the question, “Have I put any daily action toward this goal to make this happen?” the answer would have triggered some discernment. Goal affirmations without work can result is an effect without the cause. Such occurrences tempt you to rationalize instead of analyze. Dangerous. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
I am actively working on my top 5-6 goals daily and weekly and when progress is made there, I am neither surprised or without my analytical focus. The same is true when I have setbacks in these goal areas.
Sometimes you learn more about yourself in screwups than in successes. My focus is out of focus because it still looks at the mirror too much. My relationship goal took two steps back for the 1/2 step I took toward a personal goal. And the value of discernment and priorities increased big time in my tool box.
Here’s my revised plan. As Paul of Tarsus said in Philippians, “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” And my family is my heaven on earth.