So you’re finally there.  You’ve reached the goal.  You’ve conquered the obstacles.  You’ve achieved your mission.   Unfortunately, the result was NOT what you expected.  The success did not have the effect you thought it would have.  The final point was NOT what you intended.  Now, you have this huge letdown because you spent so much time and energy building up to this point that you now feel that you have completely wasted your time. Well, DON’T let it get you down. Sometimes, we put so much stock and energy into the perception of what we THINK will be waiting for us at the end that we suffer from a huge let down when it doesn’t happen.  We believe in our hearts and minds that there should be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  However, we find the only thing that is there is a pot! But don’t let that bother you.  Think about the process along the way. Think about the skills that you have acquired.  Think about the things that you’ve done that can be used for something bigger and better.  You can’t beat yourself up over the fact that you didn’t have the end result you were looking to achieve.  That vision is too short sighted.  You must look at the picture in terms of all of the contacts, skills, connections, and resources you obtained in your journey.  Even the failures, the obstacles, and the rejections are a necessary part of the growing part.  All of these things are tools that can you help you in the future. Just remember, unless the project or goal is the ONLY one you have in your life (which I doubt), you are never truly out of the game.  Learn the lessons and use it for other things.  Don’t let it get you down and more importantly, don’t let it take you OUT.