How to Use Persistence to be Successful

The road to success is not a straight line; most people know that and accept that there will be ups and downs as they try to reach their goals and dreams.  What is harder to do is to keep going when times are tough.  Even the most driven, focused achievers can find it tough to be positive and productive in these situations.

There is one thing that you can do to keep you going in these situations: continue to take small steps toward your goal.

Persistence is the Key

Some situations can be so difficult that we are tempted to give up completely or at least stop and regroup.  While that may be necessary in extreme cases, in the vast majority of circumstances, continuing toward the goal, even in the smallest ways is the most effective way to keep moving forward.

In the case of dieting or exercise, very often people will be so upset with themselves at a setback, like eating junk food or missing a workout, that they completely stop following their eating plan or going to the gym.  They adopt an all or nothing mindset which can be very counter-productive.  Instead, not eating those foods the next day, or doing some kind of exercise would be much more effective to keep on track.

You may not be able to follow the diet plan or get to the gym to exercise but doing something that steers you in the right direction will help in several ways.  It will keep you from stopping altogether; it will mitigate the “damage” the behaviour may have caused; it will help you to continue progressing and it will continue the momentum toward the goal, even if it is very small steps.

Persistently moving toward your goal, regardless of how small the progress is, can have a profound effect on short and long-term success. 

Keep going!