Frustration is an emotion all of us know well. It’s different that disappointment. Frustration implies that we had a destination we were trying to reach but were blocked from getting there.
Frustration never judges if what we were seeking was of value. It simply is the byproduct of not “being able to get there”. Wherever “there” is. Frustration tends to be selfish. We wanted something and couldn’t get it.
Disappointment implies more of a resolution on our part that we could not succeed. That we failed. Disappointment carries with it the hope that a change in our approach could lead to a different outcome.
Where there is frustration there tends to be little self-awareness. I find that where there is disappointment, there is a much higher degree of self-awareness.
While disappointment tends to be a more mature response, both frustration and disappointment hurt quite a bit. They are deflating to our ego and detract greatly from the energy needed to persevere.
When we are frustrated, we don’t know where to turn. When we are disappointed we know that we must find a way to turn. We may need to adjust our destination or goal. Disappointment seems to make us more free (in the end) than frustration.
Frustration traps us. At that point in time there is no way out. We become mad, irritable, and focus more on the emotion of frustration rather than on the destination we once wished to get to.
When we are frustrated, nothing said satisfies us, for we hear nothing. When we are disappointed, while we may not react immediately to what we hear, over time, the words spoken begin to sink in.
When we are frustrated we need to step back, walk around the block and take a deep breath, to begin to understand that we are “still here”. Frustration needs to be diffused so that it can melt into disappointment. Once there, we can more clearly begin to determine if our destination still has value, and if so, how else we can try to get there.
Both frustration and disappointment are catalysts and gifts given to us for new learning and change.
We just have such a hard time understanding their true value.