If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Shoot for the moon. Reach for the stars. Dream big.
But I have another philosophy for you.
Don't aim so high. Lower your expectations. Dream small.
I have to say, I think the majority of disappointment in this world comes from failing to reach an unachievable goal.
So set your sights a little lower.
When January first rolled around, people across the nation took part in the time-honored tradition of making New Year's Resolutions. Average Joe and Jill promised to lose 100 pounds, solve world hunger and discover the meaning of life.
All admirable goals, but by this point in January, Joe and Jill are starting to realize that they can't achieve what they set out to do, and so they're already quitting.
You've seen it before.
So what I'm suggesting is that we expect a little less from ourselves.
Expect to mess up.
Expect to let at least one person down, every day of your life, and that someone is going to let you down in return.
Expect that sometime in your college career, you are going to forget a major homework assignment, miss a class or fail a test.
Expect all these things, and you won't be so easily disappointed.
I don't mean to be pessimistic. I'm not saying everyday people can't do extraordinary things, or that people are absolutely incapable of doing what they set out to do.
I'm just tired of hearing people whine about their lives being terrible because they set insurmountable goals and then wondered why they couldn't reach them.
Don't make it your goal to have the perfect life because I've got news for you: it ain't gonna happen.
And realize that's okay.
Just so you don't think I'm completely cynical, let's end on a positive note.
You don't have to be the biggest and best, the smartest and fastest, the richest and prettiest.
Learn to see the positives in your life, even if they don't include becoming the world's youngest brain surgeon, winning a marathon, keeping a 4.0 or saving the rain forest.
Don't let the bad things overshadow the good, and don't let failure keep you down. Set goals you can achieve, and then life won't seem so impossible.
Don't give up. Don't feel defeated. Don't miss the rainbow while you're crying about the rain.
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