“A goal not written down is a wish.” I have no idea who first said this phrase, but I like it! And, to me, dreams are pretty much the same thing as wishes. If not exactly the same thing, they are at least on the same side of the same coin. Dreams for ourselves are important because they compel us to be better than what we currently are. Dreams are the very seeds that, when planted and nurtured, become our goals in life.
To reach our goals, whatever they may be, we must be ever moving forward. Sure, there will be the occasional setbacks, but in the grand scheme of things there should always be progression to reach your goals. If you find that the setbacks outweigh the progression, then maybe your goal(s) need to be altered, but not given up on. Never give up. Just rethink, regroup and revise. No one remembers anyone who gave up and quit. Quitting is easy; making a difference by never giving up is not.
Below are some examples of people who didn’t give up after some major setbacks:
- Thomas Edison failed more than 1,000 times when trying to create the light bulb. Though when asked directly, Edison allegedly said, “I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb.”
- Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it would only attract riffraff.
- Charles Schultz (Peanuts creator) had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook staff and Walt Disney wouldn’t hire him.
- Colonel Sanders spent two years driving across America, alone, pitching his secret original chicken recipe to over 1,000 different prospects before someone finally invested in his product.
- Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. He is quoted as saying, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 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. That is why I succeed.”
- The first time Jerry Seinfeld walked on-stage at a comedy club as a professional comic, he looked out at the audience, froze, and forgot the English language. He stumbled through “a minute-and a half” of material and was jeered offstage. He returned the following night and closed his set to wild applause.
There are so many examples of people we now consider a success who failed miserably before reaching their goals. If history has taught us anything it is that winners never quit, and quitters never win. Another adage, I know, but it has held true and withstood the test of time.
So, what are you wishing for in your life? Write these things down and turn them into attainable goals. By writing down your goals you will increase your odds of actually achieving them. The years are going to pass by regardless of your actions, so you might as well give yourself the best chance possible. Your future self will thank you for what you do today in moving forward towards reaching your goals.
At least, that’s my opinion.
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