Wolf Howl

Wolf Howl

Sunday, January 18, 2015

WHEN IS IT TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO A DREAM?

"Keeping on despite being knocked on your butt produces character ... or makes you one." 
             - Abby

We all face obstacles in pursuing our goals.  We all have our breaking points:

that moment when the potential rewards stop justifying the effort.

Usually, that’s the hump that separates the wanna-be's from the champions.


You may be facing that hump.  

Wolf Howl
would have you ask yourself these questions: 


1.) WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS GOAL IN THE FIRST PLACE & HAS ANYTHING CHANGED?

 You had a good reason for committing to this plan.

You just have stopped believing you could have them because your attempts have yet to yield results.

Now you have to ask yourself:

If you were promised you would achieve your dream within the year, would you go on?

If so, then re-double your efforts and give yourself that year.


2.) HAVE YOU TRIED TO SWALLOW TOO BIG A BITE?

There is so much you want to do.  You cannot jump up to the second floor.

You must take small steps one at a time.

Sit back and think on what attainable steps you can take to get closer to your dream, and then take them.


3.) WHAT IS THE WORST THING THAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU KEEP GOING AND DO NOT REACH YOUR GOAL?

No one ever judges us like we judge ourselves. 

Do not concern yourself with what others think of your efforts.

If you do not keep going, you will never know how far you could have gone,

and you will miss out on being the person you’d become through the effort itself.


4.)  ARE YOU REACTING OUT OF FRUSTRATION AND ANGER AT THE SLOW HARVEST OF YOUR DREAM?

Sit back from what you are feeling.  Let the fog of the feelings slip past you.

Reflect upon all that you have so far achieved.  Then, act from a calm center.  It will usually be to go on ahead.


5.) WOULD YOU ENJOY GIVING A LOVED ONE THE HONEST EXPLANATION OF WHY YOU GAVE UP?

I mean truly HONEST.

Would you enjoy telling your daughter,

"I gave up on quitting cigarettes because it was too hard, and my addiction is more important to me than spending additional years with you."

If you lay out it out like this,

odds are you’ll realize you had a really good reason for doing this difficult thing,

 and no matter how challenging the process is, it’s worth plowing ahead.


6.) HOW MUCH HAVE YOU ALREADY PUT INTO YOUR DREAM?

 How invested are you?

How much money and time have you devoted?

How many sacrifices have you made?

Are you really willing to chalk it all up as a loss because you are not feeling confident in your abilities?


7.)  WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A FRIEND IN YOUR PLACE?

Would you let them throw in the towel because they are discouraged?

Or would you spell out the many facets of her/his potential?

You need to be your own friend at this time.

You, just as much as your other friends, deserve your belief and compassion.

4 comments:

  1. Some excellent questions for self analysis. I've dealt with #2 and 6 alot recently. Especially with other things attacking me and just wanting to go hide out. Oh, wait, I did that for necessary reasons in much of 2014. Now, I'm tackling # 6 and trying to get back on track now that I have more energy than a sleeping snail. :-D

    The truth is, I've never let a friend quit w/out lots of encouragement and solid reasons to keep going. Yep, need to apply that to myself.

    Sia McKye Over Coffee

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  2. Such a wonderful post!! I should print it out, save it for the days when hope is getting rained on.

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  3. Sia:
    Thanks for visiting Wolf Howl's blog. We all grow weary of the struggle. But with #6 in our heads, we realize that we have invested too much to give up on ourselves. Besides the struggle strengthens us within. May 2015 be much better for you! Thanks for visiting!

    Elizabeth:
    That you would even consider printing it out means a lot to me! May the rains this year be few and mild!!

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  4. Was thinking along the lines of giving up and walking away just last week, but here I am looking and finding the inspiration to continue. Great post, thank you!

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