We all set certain goals for ourselves, and it’s natural to feel despondent when we fall short of our aspirations. It can be especially frustrating for those of us keeping an eye on the clock, worrying the window to achieve those dreams is closing.
But the timelines we set for ourselves are often totally arbitrary, and there’s almost always another day to get where we want to be. Even if/when someone else gets there faster, it’s important to press on toward the finish line at our own pace.
Falling behind is a state of mind at the end of the day, and the best cure is maintaining a sense of optimism and determination. So long as we maintain faith in our own abilities, odds are that we’ll eventually find success — even if that success looks different than we’d originally envisioned. Always keep in mind that every person comes with their own unique set of capabilities and circumstances, and no good can come from comparing our personal progress to that of the people around us.
Here are 12 quotes to reassure you that you’re not falling behind — you’re just operating at your own speed. So long as you keep going and don’t give up, your day will come.
You are not your circumstances. You are your possibilities. If you know that, you can do anything.Oprah Winfrey
We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.Joseph Campbell
It is worth remembering that the time of greatest gain in terms of wisdom and inner strength is often that of greatest difficulty.Dalai Lama
Look in the mirror rather than at your neighbor.Frank Sonnenberg
Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead 20 years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then.Diana Ross
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.Arthur Ashe
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.Thomas Edison
A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.Bruce Lee
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.Henry David Thoreau
I know how it looks. But just start. Nothing is insurmountable.Lin-Manuel Miranda
The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.Paulo Coelho
It is better to fall short of a high mark than to reach a low one.Henry Clay Payne
Featured image credit: Michael Ochs Archives/ Moviepix via Getty Images
