Knowing When to Reassess, Reprioritize, and Let Go
Last night, I found myself in the emergency room. Again.
My third ER visit since my cycling accident seven weeks ago.
I’d been experiencing some new headaches, and my doctor wanted to rule out anything more serious before I set off tomorrow on a trip around the world, first to Thailand for a family event and then to London for Thinkers50.
As my husband and I sat in the waiting room, I looked around at the people surrounding us. Some were crying in pain. Others were screaming in anger. And once again, I found myself feeling grateful.
Yes, I was back in the ER. Yes, I was dealing with yet another complication from my accident. But looking around, I was reminded that things could be so much worse.
We even found some humor in the situation.
When we were finally moved into the ER, I was given a reclining sofa, while my husband was offered a basic chair beside me.
He looked at me and said, “See? We’re already on the plane. You’re flying business class, and I’m in economy.”
We laughed out loud.
Humor has been one of the ways we’ve navigated the past seven weeks.
I’ve started referring to my accident as “the gift that keeps on giving.”
Every couple of weeks, it seems there’s another diagnosis, another injury that needs attention, another reminder that recovery isn’t quite as straightforward as I’d hoped.
The good news is that none of these injuries is expected to have permanent consequences. They just need time to heal.
Accepting that recovery takes time has also meant giving myself permission to put things on hold.
There are projects I’ve been excited about, things I’ve wanted to accomplish, and plans I’ve had to adjust.
Sometimes that’s frustrating.
But I’ve been reminding myself that just because something matters to me doesn’t mean it has to happen right now.
Accepting the reality of a situation doesn’t mean giving up. It means recognizing what is within our control, what isn’t, and making choices accordingly.
When the Plan Meets Reality
How often do we begin a project with a clear vision of what we want to accomplish, only to discover that it’s far more complicated than we anticipated?
Unexpected challenges emerge. Something that seemed straightforward takes longer than expected. New issues demand our attention. Resources we thought were available are suddenly stretched.
And yet, we sometimes continue pushing forward as though nothing has changed.
We hold on to the original timeline, keep adding to our priorities, and expect ourselves and our teams to deliver everything we’d initially planned.
But circumstances have changed.
Being intentional doesn’t mean rigidly sticking to the original plan. It means making conscious choices as circumstances evolve.
Sometimes that means slowing down.
Sometimes it means asking for help.
Sometimes it means putting an initiative on hold, even one we’re excited about.
And sometimes it means recognizing that what was a priority a month ago may no longer be the most important thing today.
There’s a difference between giving up on something and deciding that now isn’t the right time.
One of the things I’ve been practicing throughout my recovery is bringing myself back to the present and asking:
What can I do right now?
What matters most?
What do I need to let go of, at least for now?
These questions are just as valuable when we’re leading others, managing projects, or navigating unexpected challenges.
When things don’t go according to plan, it’s easy to become frustrated, focus on what isn’t working, or push harder to regain a sense of control.
But we have another option.
We can pause, reassess the situation, and make a deliberate choice about what comes next.
What needs to change so I can keep moving toward what matters?
That question doesn’t eliminate the challenges. It doesn’t necessarily make things easier.
But it allows us to respond to the reality we’re facing rather than the one we’d hoped for.
Seven weeks after my accident, I’m still recovering. I’m still discovering new things that need attention. And I’m still learning to adjust my expectations.
I’m also continuing to do the things that matter to me, just perhaps not all of them, and not always on my original timeline.
And I’m reminding myself that progress doesn’t always look the way we expected.
Sometimes, moving forward means knowing what to put aside.
Your Moment of Choice
Think about something you’re working on that’s proving more complicated than you anticipated.
Are you still trying to deliver on the original plan, even though the circumstances have changed?
What needs to change so you can keep moving toward what matters?
About Miki Feldman Simon: Miki is an executive coach, speaker, and award-winning author of CORE Leadership: A Four-Step Framework to Lead Yourself, Grow Your Influence, and Amplify Your Impact. She helps leaders turn insight into intentional action, strengthen their agency, and increase their impact.
