If you work long enough at something, you'll see results and win. Persistence is the most helpful attribute that you can have when you're pushing for a goal of any kind. The diligent always prosper.

In order to win, you have to combine persistence and personal conviction. The long game is filled with challenges. You face not only routine setbacks, but fatigue. That's why the only goals that people achieve are ones that they set for themselves.

At my former employer, at one year end review, I was informed that I was one of 12 team members in the State that met my goals in a particular year. The reason? We were given our goals. There was little personal conviction amongst the staff because they had no input on how realistic the goals were. So, when the email when out with everyone's goals attached, we were already starting from a deficit because we didn't believe that it was possible.

Persistence helps you blast through setbacks. It not only reminds you of what you're doing, but why you're doing it. That "why" will help you to overcome adversity of any kind and hit your goals.

The University of Scranton says that only 8% of people will achieve their New Years Resolutions. What do all of those people have in common? They combined persistence with personal conviction and blew it up.

Tags: Productivity