A couple of months ago, my husband and I booked an anniversary cruise to the Bahamas.
As our departure date neared, we learned that a hurricane was brewing and projected to hit the islands we were scheduled to visit, right when we were scheduled to be there. While a bit apprehensive, we flew to our port and boarded the ship assuming the cruise line would have a plan for such a circumstance. Sure enough, they did. They changed our itinerary and we set out for different destinations.
As the time neared to return, we learned that the hurricane was now heading in the direction of our port and was anticipated to hit the day we were scheduled to disembark. Our ship again changed course and headed back out to sea to wait out the storm. We cruised around the waters near Cuba for two days and nights. After the storm passed, we were still unable to make it back to our port due to the damage.
We were taken to a different port, and 60 buses were chartered to take us back to our destination.
What does this story have to do with choosing success? So often when pursuing a goal, we expect the process to be smooth sailing. When we encounter obstacles, we often get thrown into a tail spin and abandon our goal. We may think it wasn’t meant to be, that we are aren’t capable of reaching that goal, or that we are a failure. The reality is that more likely than not, there will be storms and difficulties along the way, but that is part of the process.
A hurricane in our path was a serious obstacle. Had the cruise line stuck to its original plan, the outcome could have been disastrous. However, adjustments were made. The stops along the journey changed, the timetable changed, and the cost to the cruise line increased. However, we were safe, we had a good time, and we reached our ultimate destination. The cruise line had back-up plans for the problems we encountered, and the crew met often to weigh the probability and impact of the risks, assess options and adjust plans as they gathered more information. The ship’s course was adjusted from day to day, even hour by hour as different obstacles presented themselves.
Like the cruise line, we need to anticipate challenges, weigh the impact and costs, and make adjustments along the way to our goal.
When pursuing your next goal, take the following steps to stack the odds in your favor.
- Determine your ultimate objective.
- List potential obstacles.
- Imagine how you might handle each obstacle.
- Allow time to re-evaluate your plan when an unforeseen difficulty arises.
- Weigh the probability and impacts, assess options, and adjust your plan as you gather more information.
- Look for the good that could come from each challenge.
Choosing success is all about the process. It’s not whether we face failures and setbacks that defines us, it’s how we weather the storms. Instead of abandoning your goal when you encounter obstacles, anticipate and embrace the challenge. Take the time to weigh the probability and impacts, assess options and adjust your plans when needed. Take on the adventure, and find the joy amid the storms. That’s success.
Pamela Adams Henrie is the owner of The Success Choice and creator of “The Success Choice Planner” and “The Choosing Joy in the Journey Journal.” For more information, or to contact Pamela, log on to her website at TheSuccessChoice.com.
Originally published on The Daily Hearld’s MomClick November 16, 2016
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