Stick-to-it-ness.

As a writer, that word (is it even a word?) drives me NUTS! But I get it.

Stick-to-it-ness is the quality of being able to see things through. But not just on a case-by-case basis. If you have stick-to-it-ness, you are a person who usually does the things they set out to do.

Most post-ops go into surgery hoping to develop stick-to-it-ness. But do we really? Let’s think about this together.

What Stick-to-it-ness Is (and Isn’t)

In my estimation there are a few myths about folks who have a tendency to achieve goals:

Myth #1: To quote Lady Gaga, there’s this conception that they were “born this way”

Myth #2: They have some sort of extraordinary skills that make them more capable of achieving things.

Myth #3: “Well, look at them! If I had (insert thing that is actually a result of stick-to-it-ness, not a byproduct), I’d be able to do all that too!”

Let’s stop the madness and insert some reality, shall we? Folks who are good at seeing things through aren’t (necessarily) born that way. They probably don’t have any extraordinary skills that make them that way. And while they seem to have it all together, which is great for sticking to things, it’s probably also because…they stick to things!

So what’s the secret sauce? They have a system.

Just in case you didn’t hear me I’ll say it a little louder. They have a system!

When I say system I don’t mean in the sense that they write their system down and have forms and yadda. What I mean is that they are very intentional about how they do things so that they get to the result they desire.

The Follow-Through Formula

So now that you know why some folks develop stick-to-it-ness while the rest of us struggle, let’s talk about how you can get it too. Let’s get a system started!

Here are the essential things you need to stick to your goals consistently:

• An environment designed for success. Here’s something we know but don’t recognize enough. When things are easier, we are more likely to do them. Take a survey of your house, car, office. Then think about your goals. Is they way you have things set up making it easier for you to reach those goals? For example, if you want to develop a walking habit, do you have easy access to walking shoes wherever you are? Do you know the closest walking routes to your job? Your home? Do you have a walking buddy you can call on to make it fun and social? Folks who stick to their goals build their environments to make it easier to do what they have want to do.
• Tangible rewards. Now to be fair, not everyone is motivated by tangible stuff (things you can hear, see, taste, smell or feel). But most of us are. And folks who tend to stick to things have a tangible way to reward themselves along the way, be it new workout clothes, a pedicure, or a change jar to pay yourself for achieving milestones. When you give yourself tangible rewards (and spread them like breadcrumbs along the path to your goals) you are more motivated to keep pushing forward, even when you get stalled or derailed.
• A tribe of like-minded supporters. This one is important. There’s actual science behind this. People who are high-achievers usually surround themselves with like-minded people. Why does this work? My theory is it works for a few different reasons. First, because nobody likes to have egg on their face. If everyone else is achieving, you’ll go the extra mile to keep up. Second, we each have that teeny competitive voice inside us that wants to “beat” other people at stuff, even if only in our heads. When you run with a high-achieving pack, you are always bringing your A-game to the table!

When you have these elements in place, you are more likely to follow through with whatever you endeavor to do.

If you need help getting your healthy system started, there’s always a place for you inside the Foodie Nation Community. Members get access to some pretty neat tools to help build their healthy lifestyles – like 24/7 chat, weekly accountability meetings, monthly challenges and more!

So if you’re ready to start building that stick-to-it-ness RIGHT NOW…join us. We’ve saved a place for you!