I say dedication and motivation are important in a successful journey to lose weight, but this morning, I realized that there’s another ingredient that I have employed and ignored. It’s because it’s something I use for every goal I have, whether it’s to buy a new gadget or acquire a new skill. It’s perseverance.

It’s a hard word to spell correctly (thanks, spell check!) and is defined as steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. I couldn’t find a better word to describe what I consider to be the most important skill in achieving your weight loss goals. I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. Let’s take apart the definition as it applies to achieving your goals.

Steadfastness is defined as firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc. My purpose, when I began last year, was to lose weight and to get healthy. To me, there was no purpose greater, and no priority higher than this. Everything else came second, and a distant second at that. I didn’t allow myself any cheats nor did I stray from the course because the instant gratification didn’t outweigh my long-term goals. My faith in eating well was rewarded at the end of every month of effort.

Despite difficulty. Changing your lifestyle from being carefree to actually planning, making, and eating good foods while leaving out those that are harmful to you is difficult. It’s extremely difficult, even, for some people. Being steadfast is of paramount importance here. If it were easy, everyone would be thin and healthy. I have countless posts here with strategies for getting through the difficult times.

Delay in achieving success. There is no instant weight loss scheme. Those that promise fast, easy weight loss are lying. Losing weight takes time. Your body has to do it naturally and at its own pace to do it safely and permanently. It took me a year to lose 100 lbs, and it’s taken me two months to lose an additional 13 lbs. The last 12 lbs is going to take me another two or three months, at least. That’s okay, as I’m getting fitter and stronger while getting to that ultimate goal. The delay in achieving success, to me, only makes achieving that goal that much more special and rewarding. If getting there would have been easy, it wouldn’t have had the same value or worth.

Perseverance. Perseverance. Perseverance. It should be your mantra.