How often do you find yourself asking "Am I even a little closer today to my goal than yesterday?"

For those of you who may not know who Ray Kroc is, he's the guy who took McDonald's from a little hamburger stand to the most successful restaurant chain in the world. He's long since passed away yet the systems that he set up still thrive and dominate today. He developed and improved on systems of training, making the food, presentation, franchising, and advertising that made a moderately successful joint into a global phenomenon. Systems and persistence.

Many people thought he was a crazed lunatic, concerning his fanaticism about consistency. But Ray understood that once a system, good or bad, is in place, it's nearly impossible to change it. And that's how we all are as individuals, too. Once we get a habit, it becomes very hard to break... Giving up too soon is the saddest thing in the world.

My wife told me a story the other day about a co-worker who has never hit the "Help" button in any software program she's ever used... and she's used computers every day for years. She thinks it will take too long to find the answer, so she just doesn't even bother. Don't laugh--you probably have a few of these yourself. Find them and snuff them out.

Do you look at potential goals and get overwhelmed by all the stuff you'd have to do to achieve it and thus never start anything? The right way is to write down all the benefits that you'll get--spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially... any benefit. Look far into the future. Write 'em down. This simple exercise will help you stay motivated to see it through.

If it takes months or even years to get what you want, keeping your eye on the ball will keep you going. If you don't even know why you're doing something, how can you possibly stay passionate about it? Simply put... You can't.

Have you given up on a goal recently, where if you attained it, your life would be dramatically improved? Were you passionate about the goal? Of course you weren't. Passionate desire helps create persistence.

Persistence alone will often get you where you want to go. Without it, it doesn't matter how much you know, who you know, who you are, what you've done before, what you look like or how much money you have to throw at a problem. Persistence, sheer persistence usually will win. Determination will overcome even superior talent.

Even if you never reach the goal that you've worked so hard for, there is a pretty decent ancillary benefit... Character. Tomorrow's another day. Your day.

WINNING BELIEFS:

-- I learn with each misstep and persist with commitment

-- I create systems in every thing I do and I save a lot of time

-- I become more with every job I put behind me

-- I always look for the benefit to me in a task

EMPOWERING QUOTE:

"Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence." -Ray Kroc

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