#68, How to Make your Goals Failure-Proof

Before we get started today I want to tell you something really special about you: You are continuously growing. Yeah, you. You are growing and changing until the day you move on to Heaven. And, here is something else: God knows all the days of your life and has a plan for you. So, with that in mind, let's start dropping the f-bomb. No, not that one, we are going to talk about failure.

What is a failure? According to the Oxford online dictionary, failure is defined as the lack of success. Okay, I am going to tell you that secret I promised you: Get a little closer. Failure is only your thought. Truly. Failure is when you see your goals as black and white and you leave out all that gray area, which I like to call “the growing”, in between. To truly failure-proof your goal, you will want to change your mindset. Why? Well, studies show that people who aren’t afraid of failure and concentrate on growth tend to be more persevering, motivated, and , yep, successful. So, I’m going to give  you three mindset shifts today that will truly failure-proof your goal. 

1. It isn’t over until it is over. Go back to the definition of failure which is the absence of success. Hmm, interesting, right? If you really think about it, until we die, we always have a chance of success. We serve an all-powerful and amazing God, so, we should believe that He has our backs and our lives in His hands. One massive mistake I’ve made in the past is not trusting in His timing. For example, I struggled with alcohol a lot longer than I wanted to. I got so frustrated that I couldn’t seem to get out from under that addiction. My healing came slowly and in ways that drew me closer to my church family and made me stronger in my faith. I eventually succeeded in breaking free from that addiction. No failures here. 
2. Have a growth mindset. Focus on what happens between the valley and the mountain top. It is that growth that will keep you where you want to be. For example, I do a lot of work with ladies on weight loss. Reaching their goal weight is great, but learning how to stop emotional eating and start listening to their bodies, that is what we focus on. Everything they learn and put into practice is a win. So, when you are pushing toward your goal, focus on the growth.
3. Use every fall-down as a learning opportunity. This makes me want to hug you so bad. Sweetheart, you’re going to mess up and make mistakes. That’s okay. But, they are not failures, they are learning opportunities. I’m an elementary school teacher and we never tell our students that they have failed at reading because they stumble through a passage or get a 50 on a quiz. We don’t tell our kids their hopeless because they struggle to grasp long division. No! We just tell them they are learning and growing. Give yourself grace and approach your push for change with the same mindset. Every fall-down or mistake is a learning opportunity, plain and simple, showing you exactly where you need God’s wisdom and strength the most. 

Okay! Do you feel like you just got pep-talk from someone who loves you! I hope you did. Bookmark this episode for that day that you are feeling discouraged or in order to share with a friend when they share their own struggles with you. I once read that God loves to see things grow, that’s why we aren’t perfect now. He loves doing this journey with us. 

Alright, before we part ways for the day, I want to humbly request that you take a moment and leave me that review. It doesn’t have to be long at all. A single sentence would be fabulous. It is just a way for you to really serve others by helping them find this Christ-centered work for their own precious journey. 

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