How to Deal with Unexpected Pitfalls

We've all been there: you make a well-laid-out plan, set yourself up for success. You've done your homework ahead of time and your tools are prepared and laid to the side, ready to jump to your fingertips for use. You look up, expecting the stars to align and glory to rain down...

...and you drop or lose one of your tools. Maybe your cat stole one, or the website that hosted one has suddenly gone away. Your computer suddenly crashes at the (not so) perfect time.

Now what?

It's easy to say that allowing these types of things to derail your plan is just allowing excuses to run your life, but the fact remains that SHIT HAPPENS that can slow or completely stop your plans. They're the unexpected pitfalls that makes perfect plans crumple into a sobbing heap of uselessness.

This picture says it all. There are two things to keep in mind when something unexpected happens: Keep Calm and Never Give Up.

Keep Calm

You've heard the advice about swimming: Keep calm, don't panic, and you can get to the surface. The same works for any plan. As soon as you panic, things go from bad to worse. Nearly everyone experiences that initial panic once it's sunk in that something has gone wrong. Immediately, a snowball effect to doom parades across your mind. The world (or at least your dream) is coming to an end. KICK THAT PANIC OUT! All it's going to do is hold you back. Take a deep breath (let the breath out...no sense blacking out), close your eyes a moment, then open them with new purpose. Confront the problem head-on and...

Never Give Up

Some problems are small, like the wiki website you have your information set up on deciding to close down or change policies, while others are larger. However small or large the set-back, that's exactly what it is: a set-back, an obstacle, a pit in front of you. It's a challenge. Don't give up! Every goal and dream that's worth-while has them and makes achieving the end that much better!

Unfortunately, each has the potential of becoming "insurmountable" or "impossible" for some. Those people give up. They write off their goals and dreams as simply that: the pie in the sky fantasy that was never meant for them.

Do you want to be your own success story or continue on as normal?

What to do:

You have your goal, and the plan to your goal. Do you throw it out and start over? NO! Here's what you do:

1. Reexamine - You had a good plan before, and you still do. It just doesn't accurately reflect current situations and tools. What portions have to change?
2. Replace/Add - Replace the parts that no longer represent the situation and tools. If the problem is large, you might need to add to your plan to recover.
3. Refocus - Focus yourself again on the goal at hand. Don't stay focused on the problem. You've fixed your plan to account for it and now it's time to move forward again.

Now get out there and overcome those challenges! :)