What separates people who reach their goals from those who struggle?

Do you know what separates people who reach their goals from those who struggle? Hint: It's not desire, talent, luck, or genetics—although those things don't hurt. The difference between people who reach their goals and people who don't is mental toughness—otherwise known as grit, or taking personal responsibility and accountability for your actions.

But here's what people get wrong about mental toughness. It's NOT about behaving like a drill sergeant with yourself and ignoring your need to rest or hit pause or take care of yourself. In fact, it's almost the OPPOSITE of that. Mental toughness is more about being able to stay focused and determined when challenges pop up and having the resilience and flexibility to overcome your obstacles, so you can keep moving toward your goals instead of quitting when things get hard. Ultimately, it's about loving and respecting yourself enough to follow through on your self-care and your goals. Because you deserve it!

To see (and feel) first-hand what I'm talking about, right now come up with one thing you can do this week that will move you closer to one of your goals. Choose something that you know you have the time and resources for. Here are some examples:

• Planning your meals ahead for next week
• Getting to all your workouts
• Avoiding processed or junk food
• Meditating every morning

NOW, COMMIT to follow through and get it done. Because following through with the commitments you make to yourself will help build confidence, which leads to even greater mental toughness.