Disappointed?

Disappointment. The word haunts me. I remember growing up - my dad never ever yelled at my sisters and I, but he would calmly say "I'm disappointed in your actions"... and it would tear us apart. However, I don't think it could quite compare to the feeling that I get when I'm disappointed in MYSELF.

When we are training or competing - we push ourselves to the maxx, we try to exceed old limitations and delve deeper. We resist temptations because we know it will slow us down if we don't. We almost become a 'super-human'. But then one day comes where you fall off track, skip a workout, give in to the temptations - and then... the disappointment follows...

In order to keep the 'hope' and 'drive' alive, you must:

♥ Adjust your expectations. Not every team wins the Super Bowl or Olympic gold. Not every applicant gets the job. Illness happens. Not every marriage soars. It might make sense not to set your goals so high. But who wants to settle for mediocrity?
On the one hand, hope can be misplaced. If your highest hope is in achievement, you will eventually be disappointed—success is transient. On the other hand, if we're so afraid of disappointment that we lower our hopes, we can close ourselves off from what we were born to do. The proper balance can be elusive.

♥ Learn from your defeats. Disappointment and failure build character and patience, when allowed to do so. They can teach you to win and lose with grace, an increasingly lost art these days.

I know that I have not personally pushed myself as hard as I can be pushed. It is my goal to do that from here on out because I don't want to feel that disappointment. I've come so far to just plateau now.