Accomplishing a Goal and Utter Exhaustion
“Sometimes success looks different than originally thought or desired.” — Mary Bradbury
Have you ever been so mentally tired you can hardly function? That is the state that I have been in the past couple of days. This past week was the launch of my first virtual summit for Learning For Life. I didn’t realize how utterly exhausting all of this was going to be. All of a sudden that let down afterward happened and my body crashed.
All of this was completely new to me and I had zero knowledge of what a summit or funnel was at the beginning of the process. Sometimes I think it’s better to not know what lies ahead because if you did you probably wouldn’t even try. Along the way, we were met over and over with obstacles and delays. I am sure most of you can relate to that at least I hope I am not the only one that this happens to.
As I reflect on the past three months, as is typical for me, I wish I could go back and do a few or many things differently. When you are at the mercy of other people and their schedules it has a dramatic effect on your timeline. One thing that I experienced is how difficult it was to get some people to respond to correspondence. I noticed a marked difference in professionalism among people. A few people that I was counting on, because they are friends, actually blew me off with no communication. This was disappointing since they had committed to being involved. Other people that I didn’t know prior to embarking on this adventure, were supportive and actually sources of encouragement along the way. They kept reminding me that, as one person called it, my initiative is important and needed.
At several points along the way, my business partner and I had to discuss the timeline and make decisions if we were going to stick to the original deadline or push it back. This conversation took place as recently as a week before the launch. As someone that has perfectionistic tendencies, I want things to be done well. As my wise partner and coach stated, look at this as a dress rehearsal and an opportunity to do a run through and then make adjustments as needed. That’s not the reality that I wanted to have to face, but he was right. It’s ok to move forward and learn from the process! Instead of waiting for that elusive state of perfectionism that is rarely or ever achieved.
The perception on social media is that everything works out perfectly and goes smoothly for everyone else. That’s when the doubts set in that causes us to question our abilities and often take us into a downward spiral that paralyzes us. We start believing the lies of imposter syndrome.
Author and researcher Brené Brown, has a fabulous book The Gifts of Imperfection. Here’s a blurb about the book. “When our embarrassments and fears lie, we often listen to them anyway. They thwart our gratitude, acceptance, and compassion — our goodness. They insist, “I am not worthy.” But we are worthy — of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love. We find courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness, strengthening our connection to the world.”
I’m here to say, it’s ok for things to not be perfect. That our definition of success might look different than originally thought or desired. That sometimes success is actually just making it through and accomplishing the goal! Let’s celebrate our gifts of imperfection and big and small successes together. Remember a word of encouragement is often all someone needs to keep going. You can be that person in someone’s life and you might not even realize the impact your words had on them. Spread a little kindness and encouragement today. It might be a game changer for someone.
Please take a moment to click this link and share your information with me. I would LOVE to hear from you.
The joy is in the journey not the destination!
Blessings and Peace,
Mary
