1- Know what you want. Maybe your goal is specific: you want to climb Mount Everest, stop smoking, or get a better job. Or maybe it's more a more general goal to be a better family member or a happier person. Either way, the path toward meeting your goals will be more clear if you take the time to do some deep thinking and preparation.

• Make sure your goal is SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
• If you have a specific goal in mind, plot out a course to help you reach it. Do research to find out what steps you need to take along the way. If it's helpful, create a schedule that will help you meet your goal. Give yourself a deadline for each step along the way.
• Whatever your goal, prepare to put in some time and work. Developing the mental strength to persevere takes a lot of practice, but you can start right now.

2- Get rid of self-doubt. The first hurdle you're likely to encounter is correcting the state of your own self-confidence. It's really difficult to make progress unless you believe you're capable of persevering. No matter how unobtainable your goals may seem now, you have the intelligence and power to get there. If your goal is to overcome problems and face life's troubles with grace, you can do that, too.

• Think of obstacles you've overcome in the past. Likely, you've already dealt with some pretty tough things. Use those life experiences as motivation to persevere.
• Don't compare yourself to other people. Doing so will inevitably lead to self doubt. You have the power to persevere using your unique strengths and talents, and your process is going to be different from other people's.
• If there are things in your life that hurt your confidence, get rid of them. For example, if you tend to fall back on harmful habits like drinking, abusing drugs or eating only junk food, this will make it harder to see yourself as a person with the mental toughness to persevere. Take steps to end addictive behaviors and bad habits.
• Spend time doing things you're good at. Practicing your skills, like playing a sport, making art, cooking, reading, knitting, or gardening, is a great way to build up your confidence. Spend time doing things that make you feel satisfied and positive about life.

3- Don't get dragged down by haters. As you walk the path toward your goal, or just work on persevering in daily life, you might encounter people who question you or tell you that you won't get far. Don't let it weigh you down. Realize that people are usually negative as a result of their own problems and issues they're dealing with.

• If the goal you're trying to reach is a big one, like climbing Mount Everest, you'll encounter people who tell you that you can't do it. This is all par for the course. Have faith in yourself, and think ahead to the moment when you'll be able to prove them wrong.
• If there are people in your life who are particularly negative and seem bent on preventing you from achieving, it's ok to either stop spending time with them or limit how much you see them.

4- Know your values. Having a good grasp of your own personal values is how you figure out the best way forward in any given situation and keep you aimed toward your target. What are your core beliefs? What do you stand for, and how does that play out in your life? The answers to these questions don't come easily, but with each life experience, you'll get closer to understanding yourself and your view of the world. These things can also help:

• Identify the times where you’re the happiest and the most fulfilled. You can easily determine what you value most based on the experiences.
• Knowing what your values are will help you prioritize the interests you care about most.
• Read up on a lot of different perspectives. Even if you feel very strongly about a certain issue, get the other side of the story. Gain as much knowledge as you can on subjects about which you care.
• If you're religious, delve deep into the teachings of your religion. Have conversations about ethics and morality.
• Meditate. Explore your own mind and learn how to listen to your conscience.

5- Figure out if you're enjoying life. Perseverance can mean putting in countless hours of excruciatingly difficult or boring work. However, in the knowledge that you're putting in this time to meet your goals, life will have a predominantly positive tint. You're not just getting through life, you're making the most of it. If dread and resentment have creeped in, and you're not enjoying the challenge anymore, you might want to change your tack.

• Learn to enjoy the good and the bad on the journey of life.
• This is not to say that life won't sometimes be upsetting on the path to your goals. Over time you'll recognize the difference between temporary frustration and longer-term negativity.
• What tools do you have at your disposal to help yourself feel more positive? For example, you could make a weekly coffee or phone date with your best friend so you have someone to lend an ear when things are hard, or you could schedule time for a long run with your dog to give your mind time to relax.