Rekindling the Flame

How to Bounce Back from Setbacks and Crush Your Goals

The year is 1903. Henry Ford, his eyes brimming with unwavering grit, stands at the edge of his dream. The Ford Motor Company was born and is finally ready to unleash the Model T upon the world. He has had to overcome several hurdles to get here; from investors backing out (due to Ford’s attitude), to facing bankruptcy and dissolving his first company. Yet, the determined pioneer learned from each hurdle, adapted his strategies, and finally, in 1908, brought the iconic Model T to life.

Henry Ford’s story is only one of the billions both past and present of people with a bright spark who feel they could make a difference, on a scale ranging from radical personal and self-improvement to creating something really big.

Perhaps you’re one of those who have given up trying. It could be to lose weight, to study harder to improve your grades or to work on that business idea you’re so sure would be a hit. It could be one of many factors, but the result is now you no longer feel like trying. In this article, I’ll share a few tips that can help you get on your feet again and give it another go.

1. Acknowledge the Roadblock

This is a time for honest self-examination. Look back at the time from when you started and when you stopped. You must have had the most motivation in the beginning but motivation can be sapped by several reasons. What went wrong along the way? You can also ask for feedback from a trusted friend or relative who has been with you during this time. Accept their feedback in whatever way it comes and pick out what is relevant. Remember, the aim is to get an honest picture of where you are at the moment and why. Only then can you begin to rebuild.

2. Rekindle the Flame

“I will build a motor car for the great multitude,” Ford declared in October 1908 announcing the birth of the Model T. Despite the several challenges he faced on his way to making automobiles affordable for the middle class, Henry Ford never lost sight of his goal. You can do the same on your journey, especially when you have lost some of your initial desire. Why did you start in the first place? What did you hope to achieve? Revisit that initial spark and remind yourself why this journey matters.

3. Hurdles, Not Roadblocks

Challenges are inevitable. True, some challenges might feel like the end of the road, but if you quit when you face a huge challenge, you’re missing out on the sweet feeling that comes if you can overcome it. So if you are at a point where your shoulders have dropped, pick yourself up again and analyze the challenge. What can you do to overcome it? By changing your thought process like this, challenges become hurdles to be overcome rather than roadblocks.

4. Surround yourself with people going in your direction

The people around you have a much more powerful effect than you might realize or are willing to admit. They can help make or break your desire by cheering or jeering, supporting or neglecting, or simply going in the same direction with you or not. So take a moment to look at the people around you, both in real life and on social media. Do they share your goals? Do they talk about and try to do the same things? If they do not, then perhaps you should try to add more like-minded people to your circle. Find those at different stages of your journey, and connect with them. This will help add some much-needed motivation.

5. SMARTen Up Your Goals

Goals, like dreams, need a tangible form. The SMART in SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Defining this framework along with how each aspect relates to your goal helps ensure that your objectives are attainable within a reasonable time frame. In other words, it gives more structure and meaning to your goals.

So you can ask yourself, what is the goal I hope to achieve? What does it entail? What steps do I need to take to achieve it (Specific) How far do I need to go with this? how much effort do I need to put in today? This month? Within the next six months? (Measurable, Time-bound) Is this something I can do? (Achievable) Why do I want this? (Relevant) Asking yourself all these questions helps put your goal in the right perspective.

6. Know When to Pivot

Of course, a truly SMART approach combined with self-honesty might reveal that a goal we set is not achievable. Accepting this will help not waste precious time on a dead-end, and also not ruin your self-confidence. So perhaps as important as all the steps highlighted above, is knowing when to stop. Don’t mistake this for surrender; call it evolution. Let go of outdated aspirations, embrace the whispers of a new direction, and chart a course that aligns with your present self. Remember, flexibility is not weakness, but strength.

Conclusion

In the 19 years of the Model T’s existence, Henry Ford sold 15,500,000 of the cars in the United States, almost 1,000,000 more in Canada, and 250,000 in Great Britain, a production total amounting to half the auto output of the world. The motor age arrived owing mostly to Ford’s vision of the car as the ordinary man’s utility rather than as the rich man’s luxury, and he didn’t let failures along the way stop him. You too can achieve the same, regardless of the size of your goals and the hurdles that have presented themselves. And no, you do not have to wait until the new year to start. You can start today.

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