Learn to adapt to reach your goals

Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor now more than ever. It's safe to say that we are living in uncertain times whether it's reaching a personal goal for yourself or hitting a milestone for your business. The journey to success may look a lot different than it did when you first set your plan in motion. Succeeding often means modifying your goals in the face of uncertainty so that they remain as beneficial and as realistic as possible.

Here are a few techniques that you can use to adapt your goal when unforeseen circumstances come your way. But before that, I'm gonna say something about why we tend to fear uncertainty.

Fear of the unknown is not new to our modern world and is a regular response that mankind has developed over time. The reason for this fear of uncertainty is simple. Uncertainty brings the potential for unseen danger, for risk when you don't know exactly what the future holds in store. It creates the possibility in your mind that all sorts of undesirable results are headed your way. However, an unseen future is not inherently one filled with dangers. It's simply one that you can't always predict. Understanding that uncertainty does not always equal to negative outcomes no matter how risky it might feel.

So lets get back to the topic of this article

While the drawbacks of uncertainty are obvious, there are benefits to it as well. For one, uncertainty can lead you to question your strategy and the trajectory of your goals which is rarely a bad thing. Questioning yourself may have a negative connotation but it's often the best way to identify possible pitfalls and opportunities that may have otherwise flown under the radar. Obvious uncertainty in the world is also a poignant reminder of the fact that uncertainty always exists no matter how comfortable you get. Uncertainty always lurks in the shadows. When the unpredictable steps out into the light and makes itself known, it can serve as an eye-opening experience that reminds you to always plan for uncertainty no matter how certain things might seem. During times of especially severe uncertainty, it may be necessary to adapt the goals you've set, your process for reaching them or both. With that in mind, here are three effective strategies for adapting your goals in the face of uncertain times.

Clarify your goals and objectives

Making sure that your goals and objectives are as clear as possible is always important but it's especially important when you're faced with uncertainty. When the path forward is shrouded by uncertainty, it's essential that you understand its destination as clearly as possible. Clarify your goals and objectives and use the clear understanding you have of them as your compass to guide you through whatever unseen obstacles show up along the way.

Focus on what you can control

Uncertainty often leaves us the feeling as if we aren't actually in control of our lives. While it's true that you will never be able to control every factor that affects your life and the goals that you have set, there will always be plenty of things that you can control and these are the only things worth focusing on. Keep your nose to the grindstone keep pressing forward and keep focusing on the tasks that you can directly impact. Overcome new challenges as they present themselves rather than worrying about what might happen or might not happen. By doing so, you can ensure that you are still doing everything possible to reach your goals no matter how uncertain the road to reaching them might be. You might also find that it's helpful to create as much uncertainty in your life as possible so as to not become overwhelmed by a feeling of lost control. This means creating uncertainty in every aspect of your life and that you can both aspects that are directly and indirectly related to the goals that you are striving to reach. The more certainty that you can create in uncertain times, the more in control you will feel making that uncertainty less likely to become so overwhelming that it upends your progress and causes you to stop.

Look for new opportunities that are presented to you

Just because you have to modify your plan doesn't make it any less successful. Allow yourself to be curious and open to new possibilities that may not have been obvious to you before. You may be surprised to find that these changes lead to a better stronger path to success.