Let's face it; we wouldn't be setting goals in the first place if we didn't believe they were possible to achieve. Even if we expect a fair amount of difficulty in reaching our goals, we usually don't expect to encounter major delays and setbacks.



Early in the game an optimistic mind-set can be a strong benefit because it gives us high confidence and strength to push through any preliminary obstacles that appear before us.

However, as more and more time passes and our desired results aren't showing up - or worse, we continue to experience problem after problem, our determination begins to wane. We wonder what we've gotten ourselves into. We wonder if we were crazy to think we could accomplish something so difficult!

Most importantly, we forget that there is one little aspect to any goal that is often beyond our control: timing.

As much as we might like our results to show up quickly and easily, that is not always how it happens. When we find ourselves stuck, we have three choices: We can strengthen our focus and put forth a stronger quality of energy toward our desired outcome; we can build up our resolve to work through obstacles more persistently, or we can wait patiently for the timing to be exactly right.

That last one is the stickler! We don't like to feel out of control, especially where our own lives are concerned. We don't like feeling that there is some mysterious "force out there" controlling what happens to us.

There is no easy answer for why results don't appear when we expect them to. Each situation is different, as is each goal and the person setting it.

When this happens to you, the important question to ask is not WHY it happens but what you will do when it does.

Will you shove through obstacles with vicious determination? Will you find an easier path to your goal? Or will you wait patiently for obstacles to dissolve in their own time?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions; only what you choose for yourself.

Like most people, you may find that certain outcomes cannot be rushed. No matter how hard you push, you will not be able to move forward until the timing is right.

In situations like these, hindsight usually reveals clear reasons why you could not move ahead until the timing was exactly right.

Perhaps you needed to wait for the assistance of someone who could provide the right opportunity to move ahead. Maybe you weren't emotionally ready to handle the responsibilities of your desired outcome and once you did some more work on your personal development, all obstacles simply melted away.

There are endless possibilities for why the timing may not be right, but what can you do when you find yourself stuck?

Two of the most beneficial steps have proven to be:

1) Do what you can. Remain open to the possibilities, re-evaluate your plans and see if you can make improvements or adjustments.

2) At the same time, be willing to detach from the exact timing of the outcome. This is not easy, but it can open up many doors for you!

When you let go of trying to force something into being, you automatically decrease the pressure that deadlines place upon you. Because you feel more relaxed, you are better able to focus and awaken your creative thinking process. Through this creative insight, you may accidentally discover the perfect solution to your problem, or at least have more fun exploring possible workarounds.

In the end, the length of time needed to achieve your goals is not nearly as important as the delicious satisfaction you get from seeing them through to the end.

And when that day arrives, you'll believe only one thing: it was well worth the wait.