When we’re committed to a task or something we want to accomplish, we give all we can to the project. We find time for it and make it a priority. It becomes important to us and we’re determined to succeed. But our lives are complex and we always have more than one thing going on. We can make something a priority but to assume we will give it our complete focus 24 hours a day is unrealistic. If we attempt to give the goal more energy than is workable we may burnout before we finish. There are many facets of our lives in play all the time. Nothing can take 100% of our attention 100% of the time. It’s just not possible. To expect that from ourselves or others is not reasonable. Being committed is important when we want to accomplish something but being realistic in our expectations is important as well.
Burnout is a real possibility when we’re working hard on something. We can narrow our focus so tightly we forget to do other things that are important. We may skip meals to save time, forget appointments we need to attend, neglect sleep, and lose track of hours as we push through. There is nothing wrong with being committed to a project or idea and making it a priority, but determining what is reasonable as we work through it will help us get to the goal more efficiently. The human mind is a wonderful thing and we are capable of doing almost anything we set our minds to. However, we must see the entire picture if we want to succeed. Pushing ourselves beyond our limits generally will not help us achieve the goal faster. Recognizing what is possible and doing what we can to achieve it is the best we can do. It’s impossible to give more than we have and we must define where our boundaries lie before we begin.
The expectations of others can bring pressure to perform beyond what is reasonable. Some will ask for more than is possible perhaps thinking that setting a lofty goal will push us to greater achievement. When that happens, we may be encouraged to meet timelines that are impossible, or complete tasks that are beyond what can be done. We may try our best to comply but if the expectation truly can’t be met nothing we do will make it happen. It can be overwhelming as we try to meet impossible goals. Despite the demands of others it’s important to understand what is realistic. If we do our best and the goal is not achieved, we can be confident knowing we did everything possible. We only fail if we don’t try and we succeed if we do our best, even if the objective isn’t realized. There is a saying, “Anything is possible,” but that isn’t always true. Recognizing what is real, what the limitations are, and what is truly possible makes us successful. And when we do our best we succeed no matter the outcome.
Today if you’ve been trying to do too much and are starting to feel the burn, step back and look at the entire picture. Determine what can be done and do your best to achieve it. You can push your limits and still set your goals realistically. You are capable of accomplishing great things. Make a workable plan, implement it, and you’ll find success.
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