A desire to change our life is not enough to make a change.

As a life coach, I hear many people tell me their goals.

They want to write a book, start a business, find true love, lose weight, change careers, take a new training, get that promotion, make more money, and so on. Some reach their goals, and others procrastinate and make excuses.

The difference between achievers and non-achievers is one thing: commitment.

Many ask what was the key to my success, and I always give the same answer: “I never gave up.” This means no matter what obstacle life threw at me, I stayed committed to my vision of what I wanted to create in my life. Reaching my goals did not happen as fast as I wanted or the way I had planned. I did have times when I wanted to give up…but I didn’t because I was committed to make a better life for myself.

Commitment is the opposite of comfort.

Persistence requires us to be uncomfortable, to face disappointment, setbacks, and fear. The reason commitment is difficult for most people is that we are conditioned for comfort. Most would rather win the lottery than do what it takes to build a business they are passionate about.

They prefer comfort food instead of choosing healthy foods and exercise. They try dating for a week and then go back to “giving up on men” when they aren’t getting instant results. They want the quick fix without any struggle or self-reflection.

When we are not self-aware, we will choose the comfort route every time and abandon our dreams for short-term gratification. Our inner narrator will generously support our decision to stay in the status quo with excuses, projections, blaming others, complaining, and feeling victimized. Our survival-based mind will misperceive change as danger, and that is why our lives remains stagnant.

Some people wait until their comfort zone is taken away to finally break free. For me, it was a time when I lost my job, had to give up my home, and end a relationship. The status quo was not really stagnant, but destructive. I was asleep at the wheel drawn into the wrong job and unhealthy relationship because I desired safety over passion. Ultimately, it was a false sense of security that left me vulnerable and dependent upon external forces to make me happy.

This disruption of my status quo inspired me to finally go for what I really wanted. I wanted to write a book, meet a spiritual man, and create a successful business. The best part of commitment is that you really see what you are made of, you see the possibility that lies within you waiting to be expressed, and you are no longer limited by fear or external obstacles.

Everyone around me told me it was impossible. No one would publish my book or put me on television. There are no spiritual men at my level, so I should settle for someone nice.

I learned not to take advice from others who aren’t up to big things and only see limitations. I had to discipline my mind to focus on possibility, because I knew they were only reflecting my deeper fears. I stayed committed to internal and external growth.

Each of us was born to achieve something great. There are no shortcuts or secrets, just some hard truths.

Here are nine qualities of a committed person, and if you follow them you will rise to the greatness that has always been within you:

1. You know your higher purpose or mission, and it is big enough to rise above any setback.

2. You are not reactive to bad results, and you don’t use them as an excuse to quit.

3. You understand that difficulties are a part of the journey and do not mean doom or failure.

4. You give up short-term comfort for your higher mission.

5. You stop looking for all the shortcuts or minimal risks and take bold steps.

6. You are not swayed by the inner narrator, no matter how many times she says you should give up and it is never going to work.

7. You have a support system of other committed people with a common goal and avoid people who are comfort-seekers.

8. You take responsibility for everything in your life and stop blaming others or external forces for your results.

9. You hold the vision of your goal in your mind with certainty, especially in times of adversity.

Lastly, the best quality of a committed person is that they have a coach to support them. There is something powerful that happens inside of your mind when you hire a highly trained life coach, because you are willing to make your dreams a priority. A coach can hold the vision when your faith waivers, and she can help you face obstacles and find the gold in them. Most importantly, when you commit to being supported, you are making a powerful statement to the universe that you aren’t backing down, you are gathering all the resources you need to make it happen, you are in it for the long haul, and nothing is going to stop you.

If you are not reaching your dreams or making slow progress, maybe you do not want it bad enough. Take a quick review of the priorities that you have placed above your goal in time and money. Once you step into 100 percent commitment, you will start to see the shifts to redirect your life the way you want.

If you feel uncomfortable, you are on track for success.