When a milestone is set it is based on expectation. Nothing else is taken into account, How could it, to many unknowns. If you do your best, a authentic effort, you can't do better then that. Take what you learned and do better next time.
Back then we didn't have consoles and all the other things that kept us inside. Outside was the in thing and where everything was happening. It was the only way to keep up with current events in our little circles.
This is the thing, most people don't know what their best actually is.
I remember arguing to go outside, now the argument is to stay in.