My Small Steps to Hit the Mark

In life I’ve missed the mark countless times. Who hasn’t? Perhaps it was due to overreaching, or not reaching far enough. Either way the result is the same.

The great basketball coach John Wooden said, “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” Although failure is an inevitable part of life, I’ve noticed my triumphs have come after I have adjusted my thinking, changed my approach and come back swinging. This is especially true when there’s a burning in my heart and an incessant whisper in my ear saying, “You were made for this.”

I have to remind myself that failure is a temporary setback and not a permanent condition. I have a process for helping recover from a setback. First, I have to acknowledge I didn’t hit the mark. Second, I try to understand why. Third, I take time to discern if I was made for that specific opportunity. Prayer is important to me in this step. My prayer is often, “If it is for me show me a sign, if not keep me blind.” If it’s not for me, I consider a different opportunity. If it is, I adjust my tactics and try again.

What is it that you are really striving for? Though you may have fallen short on the last attempt, you were made for something great that only you can do. Try changing your perspective. Did you over reach or not reach far enough?

To change the trajectory of our region, I believe that we need to extend our reach to arrive at our full potential.