{"id":31716,"date":"2015-12-17T04:45:07","date_gmt":"2015-12-17T10:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=31716"},"modified":"2015-12-17T04:45:07","modified_gmt":"2015-12-17T10:45:07","slug":"persistence-to-reach-your-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/persistence-to-reach-your-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"The One Quality You Must Develop to Reach Your Goals"},"content":{"rendered":"

What does it take to accomplish your goals? Some people think it\u2019s mostly about luck, smarts, good looks, and social connections. Nope<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n

Researcher Angela Lee Duckworth studied West Point cadets, National Spelling Bee contestants, teachers in tough schools, and sales peoples, asking who would succeed and why.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn all those very different contexts one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success,\u201d she said in a popular TED talk<\/a>. And it wasn\u2019t the usual suspects. What was it? \u201cIt was grit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Duckworth defines grit<\/em> as \u201cpassion and and perseverance for very long-term goals \u2026 sticking with your future, day in day out.\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The word I use to describe that is persistence<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all had dreams about the future that haven\u2019t come true. We\u2019ve probably let some of those dreams die. But what if we could develop the grit and persistence required to revive those dreams and achieve them?<\/p>\n

We can. And it\u2019s simpler than you might think. Here are six techniques proven by research and practical experience that can help you accomplish even the most daring goals.<\/p>\n

1. Find Your Why<\/h3>\n

No one perseveres unless they care. To maximize our persistence, we have to pursue goals that really matter to us.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean we always find these goals fun or even that they\u2019re our idea. They just have to be personally rewarding. Researchers sometimes call these \u201cautonomous motives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Think about parenting or getting fit or hitting a major professional goal. All of these challenges will test our perseverance. The trick is to connect with what\u2019s at stake. Why does it matter?<\/p>\n

If we don\u2019t stay connected to your why, as one study put it<\/a>, \u201cthe infusion of goals with energy may be distressingly temporary.\u201d In other words, chances are good we\u2019ll burn out and bail.<\/p>\n

But, as another study found<\/a>,<\/p>\n

\n [A]utonomous goal motives will result in greater objectively assessed persistence toward an increasingly difficult goal \u2026 [I]f individuals strive with more autonomous motives, they will be better equipped to overcome challenges in goal pursuit.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Finding our why is the first step to developing the persistence we need to attain our goals.
\nThis forms one whole section of my 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever<\/a><\/em> course.<\/p>\n

2. Believe You Can<\/h3>\n

To accomplish anything, we have to believe we\u2019re up to the challenge. That doesn\u2019t mean it will be easy or that even know how we\u2019re going to accomplish it. Usually we don\u2019t know. It just means we believe we\u2019re capable.<\/p>\n

Every goal has obstacles. When some people have trouble getting over obstacles, they doubt they have what it takes.<\/p>\n

Others just work harder. What\u2019s the difference?<\/p>\n

According to Heidi Grant Halvorson<\/a>, researchers label the first group \u201centity theorists.\u201d They think their abilities are set in stone. You\u2019ve heard people say this: \u201cI\u2019m just no good at x<\/em>, y<\/em>, or z<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second group are called \u201cincremental theorists.\u201d These are the possibility thinkers. When they can\u2019t seem to get over an obstacle, they don\u2019t blame it on themselves. Since they believe they\u2019ve got what it takes, they just look for new approaches to the problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis gritty attitude pays off in a big way,\u201d says Halvorson, \u201cleading to far greater long-term accomplishments.\u201d<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s your mindset? Developing persistence requires possibility thinking.<\/p>\n

What if that\u2019s not you? The good news is that we can become a possibility thinkers by gaining confidence in our abilities. One way to do that is to get some wins under our belt.<\/p>\n

3. Set Your Targets<\/h3>\n

So let\u2019s say we\u2019ve found our why and believe we\u2019ve got what it takes. It\u2019s time to address the goals we\u2019re pursuing.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always recommended going after big goals. Why?<\/p>\n

Research shows a direct link<\/a> between the difficulty of a goal and our enthusiasm and performance. And the emotional payoff of attaining big goals rewards our persistence. It becomes self-perpetuating.<\/p>\n

The trick is setting milestones. Big goals can also feel daunting. If we chunk them up, we can get some wins under our belt. And those wins can keep our energy up for the big goals. How?<\/p>\n

According to Christopher Bergland<\/a>, when we accomplish small tasks and hit deadlines, our brains give us a hit of dopamine and we feel good.<\/p>\n

The more we train our minds toward accomplishing the small goals, the more persistence we\u2019ll display for major long-term accomplishments.<\/p>\n

4. Measure Your Gains<\/h3>\n

When we set big, challenging goals it\u2019s easy to see how far we have to go and lose enthusiasm. We can start criticizing ourselves and get dispirited, can\u2019t we?<\/p>\n

Something I learned from Dan Sullivan has helped me rethink this problem. Dan talks about measuring the gain and not the gap.<\/p>\n

If your goal is to write a book, pay off your mortgage, build up your retirement\u2014whatever\u2014it can be daunting to look up and realize how far you still have to go.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the gap. But look at the gain. See how far you\u2019ve already come and let your progress inspire your perseverance.<\/p>\n

This another reason setting milestone is helpful. Not only do they help break up the big goal into manageable chunks, they give us something to measure\u2014forward or backward.<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s a plus: If we get good at measuring the gains, we\u2019ll not only cultivate persistence. We can also sustain momentum.<\/p>\n

5. Build Your Team<\/h3>\n

We have a very powerful myth in our culture\u2014the myth of the self-made man. I\u2019ve got news for you. There\u2019s no such thing.<\/p>\n

Success requires help, usually lots of it. After the surprise success of The Hobbit<\/em>, J.R.R. Tolkien was asked to write a sequel. But when he began writing The Lord of the Rings<\/em> he couldn\u2019t make any progress.<\/p>\n

So how did he finish what became one of the best-selling books of the twentieth century? The constant encouragement of his friends\u2014especially C.S. Lewis, who kept him focused and energized.<\/p>\n

There are two kinds of relationships that we need to develop to help us persist in the face of adversity:<\/p>\n