If you feel that establishing a goal is a commitment that has a fifty-fifty chance between failure and success, you are not alone. Many individuals avoid setting goals in order to also avoid potential disappointment. A life without aspirations, however, can lead to feelings of insecurity and purposelessness. It’s important not to let fear of failure prevent you from going after a desire. After all, the definition of failure varies from person to person. When something doesn’t go exactly as planned, that doesn’t mean it has failed. Life is full of unpredictable circumstances that we can do nothing but adapt to.
Failure, however, is a vital component of success, which is even more difficult to define. Typically, corporate icons are observed and perceived as “successful”. That begs the question: successful at what? Though they’ve made many accomplishments, society tends to fixate on wealth when the word “success” is brought into question Depending on your values, you may illustrate the image of success quite differently. Goals are about seeking success, so if you know what success means to you, it will be easier for you to reach them.
When you first set a goal, you often have a clear vision of success in your mind. It’s quite common to end up in a place you hadn’t anticipated, but when that happens, how do you measure success? You may have wanted to hold a pleasant gathering with family or friends and only a few could attend, you may have achieved a goal far beyond your deadline, or you may have set out with a thorough plan to rise in a certain career only to find an occupation that you enjoy more along the way. If you’re wondering whether or not you have still achieved success, the answer is simple across all situations: as long as you are satisfied, you are successful. You should never aim for somebody else’s definition of success as your own will always prove to be more satisfactory.
Even if you don’t feel satisfied in the end, the outcome isn’t always in your control. When it comes down to the thin of things, simply having put forth the effort is a success.