Half-victories and Incomplete Successes

This week has been a long, short week with some pretty impossible work deadlines requiring some extra work to be put in. Despite my best efforts I failed to complete my assignments although I made major strides in comparison to previous weeks achievements. These half-victories or incomplete successes can either beat you down or you can rise up and keep going until you have completed ‘the race.’ I know I put my best into my work and can honestly say I really couldn’t have done much more than what I had achieved. For me then, I can still be satisfied with my efforts and my incomplete success.

What are your half-victories or incomplete successes?

Have you given up on them out of despondency or fear of complete failure?

Tell someone you trust about what you have been working towards and how you see your unfinished plan. Someone with external perspective can maybe see just how far you have actually come and see how close you are to success. With their knowledge of your plans, they can also encourage you along the rest of the journey. Having moral support also gives you another sense of accountability to push you when you feel like giving up.

We all have career, family, health, travel and relationship aspirations that we have buzzing around our heads. Some are clearer than others as we have spent more time contemplating and planning how to achieve them. Others are vague as we have considered them distant, almost unattainable dreams. All of them are your dreams, and worthy of exploring. They were placed in your heart as something important to you, so don’t dismiss any one of them as impossible. I recommend writing them down in a journal, depositing the dreams of your heart into a written list. List the big dreams and the small goals, don’t think anything is too big or too trivial to be listed. Then expand on each one, giving a bit more detail and also estimate a time frame by when you would like to have achieved each of the goals. (I have done this with a few things and have been astounded by the results.) Revisit the written list from time to time and add to it as you develop new dreams. Tick off the ones you have achieved and remind yourself of what dreams are inside of you but maybe have been stifled by the busyness of surviving.

Realising goals achieved is a very fulfilling process and develops a momentum of its own.

Life experiences change your desires, sense of purpose and your priorities. This will inevitably change what your heart dreams of. Perhaps your career aspirations change from a corporate ladder climber to that of a content employee when your first child is born and time at home is valued above completing a contract long after the office closing time.  Maybe a heart problem changes your primary focus onto your health and then diet and fitness becomes a priority. Relationships and friendships also change depending on seasons in your life. People who once seemed important, may no longer play a role in your affairs and become insignificant.

Go back to your list and make the changes, as your heart guides you. Remember the time you have is right now, this very moment. Don’t get caught up in the things you don’t control or can’t change. What is done is done, look forward and make the future the way you dream it to be. Keep going with those half-victories and incomplete successes.