"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." – Zig Ziglar

It’s hard to find an open treadmill at the health club this month. By February, the crowds will dissipate as motivation wanes and resolutions get replaced with busyness and daily distractions. It’s easy to start new things. The challenge is staying the course with discipline, focus and rigor required to get habits to stick for the long haul.

The science of motivation is complex, multidisciplinary and expansive. Psychological Factors that Guide Behavior outlines the three major components of motivation: activation, persistence and intensity. Activation is the decision to initiate a behavior. Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal. Intensity is the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing a goal. Persistence and intensity are necessary to still be on the treadmill regularly in February, March, April and beyond.