How to Be Persistent
Set a goal., Break the goal down into smaller pieces., Do a little bit., Learn what motivates you., Put a reminder somewhere prominent., Make it a habit., Make it fun., Go public., Keep score., Take breaks., Reward yourself for persisting., Get...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Set a goal.
Be specific about what results you want to achieve.
Be specific about the time frame in which you wish to achieve your goal or results.
As well as setting a goal, make sure it is something you can reasonably accomplish.
Write down your goal someplace that you will see it regularly.
This might be in a journal, on Post-It Notes, on a wall poster, etc. -
Step 2: Break the goal down into smaller pieces.
Smaller pieces are easier to manage and easier to accomplish, and they'll give you a feeling of accomplishment sooner.
Divide it by time.
Tackle a task in 15-minute or one-hour pieces.
If you're trying to change your habits, go for one day, then another.
Divide the task itself into pieces.
Sort so many files at a time, or clean so many square feet. , Five minutes, three times per week is better than nothing, and it might not seem so difficult.
Then, build up from there. , Do you love the satisfaction of a job well done? See if you can improve upon your previous attempts.
Do you enjoy the attention or praise of others? Plan to show off your work when you're done, or demonstrate it as you go. , Are you trying to save money to buy a house? Put a photo of your dream home on your bathroom mirror––or in front of your credit card. , Do whatever it is every day, if possible.
One tactic that can work is to connect it to a habit you already have.
For example, if you already brush your teeth each night before bed, that would be a good time to floss and wash your face, too.
Water your plants when you bring in your mail or take out the dog.
You can even pull a few weeds while you're waiting for the hose to run. , Turn on the music or listen to an audio book if it's a repetitive task, such as painting a room.
Challenge yourself to finish a certain amount or to get through a certain amount of time.
If anybody is working with you, make it a race.
You could even toss in a small bet (a massage, a dinner) as a challenge and to give yourselves something to prove. , Ask a friend to accompany you, or simply to check in on your progress.
You'll find it a lot harder to shirk your workout if you know somebody is coming to ask.
There is even a website called StickK.com where you can "put a contract on yourself" online for all to see and if you fail to reach your goal, you owe money to a charity you chose as part of the deal. , Write your progress in a journal or calendar.
You could simply mark each day that you did (or didn't) do something, or you could write in something to measure: how far you went, or how fast, how many items you finished, or how much time you spent. , While it may feel noble to struggle on and not rest, this isn't a sensible option.
You and your body need periods of rest to regroup and re-energize.
In particular, your subconscious continues to work through problems during a break, so it's important to give yourself this space.
Rest is vital to maintaining persistence. , Rewards make it more likely that you'll persist with reaching your goal because many big goals can take months or even years to achieve.
The longer the time it takes to achieve the goal, the more you risk losing motivation.
To avoid this, small frequent rewards can keep you energized and focused. make a list of rewards you'll give yourself after certain achievements, such as a small reward for a day's solid work and a large reward for a month's solid work toward the goal.
Plan small rewards.
Add a sticker to your collection, a star to your calendar, or a feather to your cap for each section of the task you complete.
Go to the movies or spend a night at the theater with friends.
Plan big rewards.
Rewards that involve more cost or planning can be included as less frequent but vital injections of inspiration.
For example, plan to upgrade your musical instrument when you achieve some specific level of proficiency; if you're learning a language, plan to take a trip somewhere to practice it.
Make the rewards relevant and suited to your goal.
If you're starting a garden, get a new plant for each section of soil you prepare.
Likewise, if you're starting a workout program, don't reward yourself with food.
Try a warm bath, instead.
Only allow yourself the reward when you hit the target.
Rewards lose their power if you indulge them without the achievement of a milestone toward your goal. , Even if you don't think you can do much right away, you'll soon know what needs work and what questions to ask.
You may find that your goal was easier to achieve than you thought.
Besides, you can never finish what you never begin. -
Step 3: Do a little bit.
-
Step 4: Learn what motivates you.
-
Step 5: Put a reminder somewhere prominent.
-
Step 6: Make it a habit.
-
Step 7: Make it fun.
-
Step 8: Go public.
-
Step 9: Keep score.
-
Step 10: Take breaks.
-
Step 11: Reward yourself for persisting.
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Step 12: Get started.
Detailed Guide
Be specific about what results you want to achieve.
Be specific about the time frame in which you wish to achieve your goal or results.
As well as setting a goal, make sure it is something you can reasonably accomplish.
Write down your goal someplace that you will see it regularly.
This might be in a journal, on Post-It Notes, on a wall poster, etc.
Smaller pieces are easier to manage and easier to accomplish, and they'll give you a feeling of accomplishment sooner.
Divide it by time.
Tackle a task in 15-minute or one-hour pieces.
If you're trying to change your habits, go for one day, then another.
Divide the task itself into pieces.
Sort so many files at a time, or clean so many square feet. , Five minutes, three times per week is better than nothing, and it might not seem so difficult.
Then, build up from there. , Do you love the satisfaction of a job well done? See if you can improve upon your previous attempts.
Do you enjoy the attention or praise of others? Plan to show off your work when you're done, or demonstrate it as you go. , Are you trying to save money to buy a house? Put a photo of your dream home on your bathroom mirror––or in front of your credit card. , Do whatever it is every day, if possible.
One tactic that can work is to connect it to a habit you already have.
For example, if you already brush your teeth each night before bed, that would be a good time to floss and wash your face, too.
Water your plants when you bring in your mail or take out the dog.
You can even pull a few weeds while you're waiting for the hose to run. , Turn on the music or listen to an audio book if it's a repetitive task, such as painting a room.
Challenge yourself to finish a certain amount or to get through a certain amount of time.
If anybody is working with you, make it a race.
You could even toss in a small bet (a massage, a dinner) as a challenge and to give yourselves something to prove. , Ask a friend to accompany you, or simply to check in on your progress.
You'll find it a lot harder to shirk your workout if you know somebody is coming to ask.
There is even a website called StickK.com where you can "put a contract on yourself" online for all to see and if you fail to reach your goal, you owe money to a charity you chose as part of the deal. , Write your progress in a journal or calendar.
You could simply mark each day that you did (or didn't) do something, or you could write in something to measure: how far you went, or how fast, how many items you finished, or how much time you spent. , While it may feel noble to struggle on and not rest, this isn't a sensible option.
You and your body need periods of rest to regroup and re-energize.
In particular, your subconscious continues to work through problems during a break, so it's important to give yourself this space.
Rest is vital to maintaining persistence. , Rewards make it more likely that you'll persist with reaching your goal because many big goals can take months or even years to achieve.
The longer the time it takes to achieve the goal, the more you risk losing motivation.
To avoid this, small frequent rewards can keep you energized and focused. make a list of rewards you'll give yourself after certain achievements, such as a small reward for a day's solid work and a large reward for a month's solid work toward the goal.
Plan small rewards.
Add a sticker to your collection, a star to your calendar, or a feather to your cap for each section of the task you complete.
Go to the movies or spend a night at the theater with friends.
Plan big rewards.
Rewards that involve more cost or planning can be included as less frequent but vital injections of inspiration.
For example, plan to upgrade your musical instrument when you achieve some specific level of proficiency; if you're learning a language, plan to take a trip somewhere to practice it.
Make the rewards relevant and suited to your goal.
If you're starting a garden, get a new plant for each section of soil you prepare.
Likewise, if you're starting a workout program, don't reward yourself with food.
Try a warm bath, instead.
Only allow yourself the reward when you hit the target.
Rewards lose their power if you indulge them without the achievement of a milestone toward your goal. , Even if you don't think you can do much right away, you'll soon know what needs work and what questions to ask.
You may find that your goal was easier to achieve than you thought.
Besides, you can never finish what you never begin.
About the Author
Sophia Ruiz
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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