Robert B. Moran, Creativity+Performance Coach

I had a goal for the month of January that I did not meet. Today is February 1st. “Pencils down.” ✏ “Times up.”

Argh! In the past I would have either minimized my feelings of disappointment by countering with, “Yeah, but I *did* make progress.” Or, gotten so upset that I’d behave childishly and (inwardly) pout.

This time I did neither, and I feel proud of my response.

When I minimized the pain, by focusing on the progress, I also never learned the lessons that I could have.

When I pouted, I also missed the lessons that I *could have* learned. The result was vagueness, and repeating the same faulty plan again and again.

Today i was able to admit, “I failed to reach that goal.” I was then willing to look at the specifics of the actions that didn’t work for the month of January. Absent was the internal bobbing and weaving to avoid responsibility for my failure. I felt…mature.