In my last post I wrote about the importance of journaling or using some method to periodically reviewing and assessing how your goal achievement plan is progressing. I recommended doing this in an ongoing manner.

Another time to reflect and consider how your plan is progressing is when you’ve hit a stumbling block. We all do that from time to time and it really is an important time for careful evaluation.

As you look at the obstacle in front of you, try to figure out where it came from and why you might not have seen it before you tripped over it. Did you make a mistake of some sort? Possibly, but sometimes life has a way of throwing us curves. Take a little time to do a careful evaluation.

If you have strayed off-course and found this boulder that way, this is the time to determine that.  If you’ve lost sight of your values, you may have found this problem as a result of that.  Reassess now and get back on track.  Don’t forget your key value of integrity and realize that your integrity is a very important thing as you pursue success.

Finally, use this reflection time to re-evaluate your goals.  Have your goals changed a bit since you wrote them down?

Here’s an example. Let’s assume you have set a goal to pursue your online doctoral degree and defend your thesis within 3 years of starting your program.  If you were single when you started your program and got married during your education, you might find that your timeline is less important now than it was 2 years ago.  You might find that if you take an extra year to defend your thesis, you’ll have a richer, more productive document to defend because your spouse may be able to help you consider things you hadn’t seen before.

You may also find that taking the extra time will allow more time for you to spend with your spouse…bring more happiness into your marriage. And, when your set your doctoral goal you didn’t even have a goal to have happiness in your marriage!

So, use obstacles and road blocks as learning experiences. If you do, they will strengthen your goal achievement process.