No matter the type of goal you are working toward, there will inevitably come times when you have to muster a good dose of persistence to keep going. “Persistence implies that there may be challenges or obstacles faced when working toward [your] goals,” psychologist Marni Amsellam, PhD, who sees clients in Connecticut and New York, says.

As a decade long self employed creative person in the highly competitive and inconsistent field of real estate sales, I know firsthand what it’s like to struggle over hills that can feel like mountains and to feel discouraged by an industry that constantly throws up obstacles. I’ve had more rejections and setbacks than I could ever hope to count. But it hasn’t stopped me from achieving my goals and redefining what my achievements have been over the years.

CONNECT WITH YOUR PASSION

It’s true that becoming persistent requires an attitude shift before you can take a new course of action, so how does one go about getting to that shift? I discovered that the root of persistence comes from reconnecting with your own inner source of passion and purpose first. If your only focus is on the achievement, rather than the reason you had this goal in the first place, you might be missing out on a powerful engine of forward momentum. Just like cities, dreams aren’t built overnight – they are the result of incremental progress, driven by a vision of a better product, a profound company, a better world. Take some time to reconnect with what got you excited about your goals in the first place and find a way to remind yourself of that every day. Think big picture, Ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing. Remind yourself that the efforts you’re putting out now are part of the process of achieving your long-term goals.”

TAKE TIME TO REFLECT

Reflecting on your progress, you’re likely to find a lot more there than you realized, evidence that can help motivate you to keep going.

And when you do start to recognize your progress, share it with a colleague or loved one. It’s important to acknowledge your progress it gives you the opportunity to receive encouraging feedback.

NOTICE YOUR STEPS TO SUCCESS

Taking the time to pat yourself on the back is part of the larger behavioural shift. Moving away from criticizing yourself for failures.