"Resolve Insurance -- Article Four

4. Expect Opposition

I can assure you that, no matter how much you want to reach your goals, there will be obstacles placed in your path that careful planning could never anticipate. This one fact is at the heart of all these steps. Planning for where we want to be in 12 months seems like a waste of time considering all the “uncertainties” that await us (not to mention our failure to reach sincere goals last year).

While we can’t always control the results we achieve for our efforts, we can control our Attitude or Perspective in every situation. This is not some humanistic philosophy that says we can change our destiny by mind control. On the contrary, at the foundation of this step is the realization that most things are out of our control! Accepting this huge limitation up front may be the only thing that keeps us from giving up.

As we work our plan for achieving our goals, evaluate carefully those things that threaten our continuing progress. Even if we “slip up” or miss some of our daily disciplines, regroup and start again! Whatever you do, DON’T GIVE UP! Since the topic of this particular article is to Expect Opposition, we should not be surprised when it comes. If the obstacle we face is our fault, do what it necessary to remove it. If it is something that we have no control over, weigh out your options and adjust your plan to continue in a positive direction towards your goals.

Giving up is the easy way out! When tempted to “Give Up” go back to Step 2 and revisit your “RESOLVE.” Just how determined were you before you started? How determined are you to get back on track? Sometimes our expectations produce a great deal of frustration when they are not realized. This frustration can sometimes lead to a greater desire to succeed and they can also lead us to give up quicker. The greater our Expectation level, the more susceptible we are to frustration. This can fuel our fatalism, sending us into a “thought-pattern” that will be very difficult to reverse.

We live in a “real” world, filled with “real” problems. Even if unexpected situations arise and deter our progress, don’t let them keep you from making some strides towards your goals.