Is there something you’re working towards? Do you have a goal? Have you achieved it? Many of us have our eyes on a bigger prize. We are trying to get to that next level at work or trying to start our own business or trying to make our business more profitable. Maybe your goals are personal. Maybe you’re trying to eat more sensibly, work our more frequently, spend more time with the family, or learn a new language.

When things don’t happen when we want them to, expect them to, or need them to, it can feel like we are doing something wrong. We feel an acute sense of failure when we do the right thing, and the result is less than we expect. A big mistake is thinking that the choices we make dictate the outcome exactly. You can do all the right things and still have your project or goal fail. Having the plan of all plans does not guarantee success. Having the greatest of intentions does not guarantee follow-through. Having an amazing product does not mean it will sell. There are too many variables involved for a direct correlation.

What do we do when things don’t work out? We usually start to think that things will never work. We start to see an impostor in the mirror. We start to doubt everything we’ve done. So how do we steady our resolve? My suggestion is to add a “yet” to the end of the statements regarding your progress. Let me show you some examples:

– I haven’t become successful (yet).
– I am not where I want to be in my career (yet).
– My business is not profitable (yet).
– I don’t have enough clients (yet).
– I haven’t written a good article/book (yet).
– I am not in good shape (yet).
– I don’t eat healthily (yet).
– I don’t speak perfectly in English (yet).
– I don’t have enough time for my family and friends (yet).

The change is obvious. By adding the simple word “yet” to the end of your negative statements about your experience, you change doubt to hope. The chances of your success are greatly enhanced by changing your negative pessimistic mindset to a positive one. The real victim in the equation is your self. You sabotage your self, you put it down, you discourage it, you mentally abuse your self, and all for what?

We are all dealing with the social, financial, and personal difficulties (not to mention the obvious). If there was ever a time to give your self a break, it is now. Your goals have just not been realized yet. It doesn’t mean that you will never meet them. It just means you still have work to do. We all have work to do. No one is perfect. The struggle is real. Keep your eye on the prize, get to work, and remember, your success just hasn’t happened yet. You’ve got this.

A special thanks to Seth Godin and his inspirational work.