My initial reaction to recently missing a deadline wasn’t great — lots of woe is me, how will things continue to move forward, etc. I felt like a kid who experienced things not going their way for the first time.
After having a day to reflect, I was finally in a position to describe the situation more neutrally, more matter-of-factly:
The deadline shifted and that’s inconvenient.
And really it’s just that: an inconvenience… in the same way driving over a pothole is inconvenient, or unexpected rain while you’re walking outside is inconvenient.
The bump and the rain suck, but neither are so powerful that they could actually thwart your ability to move forward or to go about the rest of your day.
When you’re up against a challenge, ask yourself: is this really the end of the world, or is this just a bump?
Most things are bumps.
The sooner you realize this, the more effectively you can withdraw all the stress and angst that you would otherwise be inclined to throw at them.
And it would not be surprising at all to feel substantially lighter on your feet and more motivated to do things afterward.
