Monday Morning Margarita

Happy Monday!

Last week was pretty rough! I completely bombed 2 mid-terms. Why? Lack of preparation. Now I’m struggling to play catch-up, in the hopes of getting Bs, for what should have been 2 relatively easy As–all because I didn’t spend sufficient time studying.

I’m not hung up on getting As, nor was I upset about blowing the exams. I was, however, hugely disappointed in myself for not doing my best. My performance in no way reflected my capability, and I knew it.

I was feeling pretty bad about things and doing a good job of beating up on myself. I knew that wasn’t at all productive, so I shook it off, telling myself “Oh well… Next time, I’ll do better.”

Then it hit me: there isn’t always a next time. You don’t always get second (or third, or fourth) chances.

What did I learn? That it’s important to always give my best–regardless of outcome. Giving my best won’t ensure I hit every ball out the park, but it will ensure I have no regrets about the effort I put into it–and I’ll have no reason to waste  time beating up on myself. More importantly, I learned it’s better to focus and spend time on those things I deem worth my effort. If it’s not worth my effort, why bother?

This week, I’m re-evaluating my To-Do list. My goal: better results in less time, with less wasted effort.

What have you learned from your personal disappointments? How have they helped change your life for the better?

I love Mondays!