We live in a world that prioritizes achievements, getting ahead, constant movement and continual improvement but the famous martial artist, actor, and philosopher Bruce Lee once said, “a goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at”. As shocking as it may seem, there is no failure in walking away from a goal if we determine that the pursuit of that goal is not where we want to continue to invest our time, our energy, and other resources in pursuing. 

It takes courage and wisdom to accept other goals now have priority, and to walk away from something halfway through, or even just prior to completion. This is part of counting the cost. Too often, we get caught up in the juggernaut of activity, actions and deadlines that surround our existing goals and don’t hit pause, take stock, or assess whether we are still moving in the right direction. Taking stock has immense value in our personal lives as well as our professional roles as leaders. We live and work in a volatile, constantly changing world. This means goals, outcomes and approaches need to be consistently assessed to ensure they are still aligned with intentions and current needs. 

One often overlooked aspect of leadership, and personal growth, is the need for a recovery plan to be built into goal and objective planning. This is particularly important in pursuing longer term goals of say six months or more. Personal and professional plans to achieve outcomes can trigger resentment and frustration if recovery isn’t considered and time dedicated to cultivate it. 

Depending on the nature of the goal, this might be physical, emotional, and/or mental recovery. In this busy world, we often progress our goals, accomplish them, and then invariably rush headlong into the next thing. Pausing for a moment to consider recovery is pivotal to long term success in the development of culture, relationships, and successful outcomes. We are not machines; we are sentient creatures with fluctuating moods and energy levels.  When we build in recovery as part of our approach we remind ourselves, and our people, that we matter. If we don’t, we are more likely to experience, and foster a culture, that promotes burnout.  If you would like to learn how to build recovery into your personal and/or professional goal setting please reach out to Elizabeth Denniss by email at elizabethdenniss@bigpond.com