Motivational Monday: Sometimes Not Getting What You Want Is A Stroke of Luck

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“Sometimes, not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck” – Dalai Lama  (Click here to Tweet this!)

I love today’s quote simply because, in my experience, it is so true!

Don’t you hate not getting what you want? If you’re like me, it’s one of the most frustrating things that can happen, especially after you pour your heart and soul into your goals, plan out the path you want your life to take, and muster up the effort to keep going when the going gets tough.

I hear you!  What can we do about it?

Actually, today’s post is about exactly that. It’s short and sweet on this semi-holiday long weekend, but I hope it gives you food for thought for the wee.  (Over here in Spain it seems like long weekends occur a lot!)

How To Get What You Want

When you think about your life, do you have what you want? As a motivated person, I tend to grab onto my goals lists I make every six months, and dive right in.  (You have access to my free printables library, right? You can grab your goal setting template there, too). I set goals every 6 months, check them over every three to see how it’s going, and then revise them as needed.

Sounds simple, and it usually works, right?

Here’s the problem:

Sometimes, it just doesn’t seem to work. Well, the key is of course, patience, but that’s always been a challenge for me.  Even if you’re a patient person, I’m sure there will be times when you wish everything was going a little more in the direction you want it to.

Actually, this happened to me when I tried (for 2 years!) to get a job in London. Despite trying every avenue and option open to me, I only found temporary work and would have returned to Canada after the temporary work permit expired.

Instead, I moved to Spain – and it has turned out to be a “blessing in disguise” as they say. Definitely one of the best outcomes from a goal gone wrong in my life!

What To Do When It Seems Like You’re (Always) Out of Luck

So, I’m clearly not the type to believe in superstitution. Sometimes, though, it seems like you’re at a point in life where you’re always out of luck, like I was in London. Here’s what I do while I’m struggling through situations like that.

Give yourself a break

Now, this is a tough one for 2 reasons:

First, if you’re dedicated and motivated, it seems like you’re giving up on yourself. While you have to be careful that doesn’t happen, giving up on (or changing) one small goal in life doesn’t make you a failure.

Second, sometimes you feel like you just don’t have  time for a break, right? I get it. I’m super busy, too! Trust me, I’ve learned that taking a break once in a while can be the best refresher ever.

Check out some inspirational quotes

Although it seems simple, it definitely works to lift my spirits. I’ve always used quotes to lift my spirits. In fact, I even had them plastered to my bedroom wall as a kid (geek alert! 😉 )  Whether you’re lonely or disheartened, quotes can keep you in a positive mood.

Need some help getting started?  Check out these inspirational quotes compiled by Peter Economy on Inc.com 

Remember that I have free motivational posters every Monday morning, too (sign up at the end of this post!).

3 Tips for Staying Strong

1. Find A Role Model 

Now, I don’t mean find someone who’s always been successful and look at their success.  I guarantee you that these people you think have “always been successful” have backstories.  Check out  Ramit Sethi, for example, or Maria Coz, or any of my other blogger/entrepreneur heroes. They started at the bottom and look where they are now. Try to find heroes in your personal life, too.

2. Take Hold of What You Can Control

Remember that whether or not you believe luck exists, you cannot control everything. I sure wish I could, believe me! At times, I have to hold myself back and remember to accept that some goals will take time, and some hurdles are unavoidable.

3. Remember to Breathe

So I know you’re probably sick of hearing this one (I say it a lot!), but that’s because it’s the most difficult for me. Everyone from masseuses to kickboxing trainers to career mentors have told me to slow down and breathe.  I love the idea that “Sometimes when things seem to be falling to pieces, they are really falling into place” (Here’s my post on that one)

What’s your favourite strategy to stay positive? Let me know in the comments below!  I’d love to hear from you and I respond to every comment!

Have a lovely and productive Monday!

P.S. Photo fans, the photo for today’s post (and poster!) is one I took this past week in Dubrovnik, Croatia