Dave woke up to one of those mornings. The kind where the alarm didn’t go off, the coffee
machine sputtered its last, and the perfectly planned schedule for the day crumbled before breakfast. It would have been easy—almost tempting—for him to throw his hands up in the air and declare the day a loss.
But instead, he took a deep breath, shook off the frustration, and adjusted. The day didn’t go as planned, but it wasn’t a
lost cause either.
Life has a way of reminding us that even the best-laid plans can go off course. Whether it’s a project at work, a family event, or even something as simple as a daily routine, things don’t always unfold the way we expect. When that happens, the instinct can be to give up, to let disappointment take over. But that
reaction rarely helps. What truly makes a difference is how we choose to pivot.
Pivoting means adjusting, not quitting. It means accepting that the original plan isn’t working but believing there’s still a way forward. When the recipe flops, the event gets rained out, or the goal feels out of reach, the power lies in how we respond.
Instead of focusing on the derailment, focus on what can be salvaged or reimagined.
Let's consider Steve who had his day meticulously scheduled. Meetings, errands, and personal tasks were all lined up. But just as he was about to start, his dog suddenly fell ill.
He immediately rescheduled his meetings and to-dos, choosing to focus entirely on his dog's care. The tasks would still be there tomorrow, but his pet needed him in that moment. He knew those tasks would be accomplished, just not today. And that was OK.
The day didn’t go as planned, but it turned into a reminder that flexibility and priorities make a big difference.
When plans unravel, it helps to pause and reassess. Ask yourself: What can still be done? What adjustments could turn this into something different but still meaningful? It might be a smaller
version of the original goal or a creative twist you hadn’t considered before. Sometimes, the new version turns out even better than the original plan.
And sometimes some of what you planned to do today will have to be done tomorrow or the next
day.
It also helps to keep the bigger picture in mind. A hiccup in your day doesn’t define your entire week. A setback doesn’t determine your long-term success.
Letting go of
perfection and embracing flexibility makes it easier to keep moving forward.
So the next time life throws you a curveball, resist the urge to throw your hands up in frustration. Take a breath, reassess, and calmly find your pivot.
