Have you heard the saying, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars”?  Who thought of that?  The moon is way closer than the nearest star!It doesn’t make any sense; if you shoot for the moon and miss, you’re gonna be stranded in space.  Nobody wants to be stranded in space.  I don’t know who came up with that, but I think it’s an indicator that people don’t give enough thought to their words before they blurt them out; and how is it that it’s been used so much by so many people, and no one has actually thought about what they were saying?  Everyone knows that the nearest star to Earth is the Sun.  If there was a star as close to the Earth as the moon, we’d all be burning right now.  Now, you may say, Justin, come on… it’s a good quote.  No it isn’t, it’s a terrible quote.  How many hunters do you know that would say, “Aim for the deer.  Even if you miss, you might hit a tree.”  Or, “There might be a rabbit or other small creature standing behind the deer…”  No, the hunter isn’t counting on missing his mark.  If he wants to make the kill, and gain the victory, he needs to hit his mark.  He will have to practice during the off-season, so that when his opportunity presents itself, he won’t miss.

Get a Victory Under Your Belt

You must have realistic expectations, while striving to exceed them at all costs, then you’re more likely to have a victory under your belt.  That will build your confidence to set your expectations higher the next time.  I hate to hear people talk about doing things that they even know themselves they’ll never do.  There’s nothing wrong with having a dream, because if you don’t have dreams then you’re going to be miserable.  But you’re setting yourself up for failure when you have unrealistic expectations that you cannot attain to.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

-Proverbs 13:12

That scripture pretty much says it.  If you hope for something that you want, determine within yourself to do what it takes to get there.  Work hard, be patient and confidently expect it to happen.  If you hope for what you cannot have, you’re eventually going to be sick of trying.  You’ll be let down again and again, your confidence will be severed, and it will be harder for you to set goals the next time around.  If you long for something, strive for it and attain it, then it will be like a tree of life.  You’ll get a great sense of accomplishment when you set a goal, work hard and attain it.  Nothing will be able to stop you when you’re confident that you can accomplish whatever you set out to do.